Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant found himself at the centre of an awkward yet amusing moment during the toss ahead of the IPL 2026 clash against the Rajasthan Royals at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Monday. The incident unfolded during the customary post-toss interview with former West Indies captain and commentator Ian Bishop.
After Rajasthan stand-in skipper Yashasvi Jaiswal won the toss and opted to bowl first, Bishop turned his attention to Pant to discuss Lucknow’s plans and team changes for the crucial fixture. Rishabh Pant initially appeared composed and confident while speaking about the surface and LSG’s approach despite the franchise already being eliminated from the IPL 2026 playoff race. However, the conversation briefly turned awkward when the discussion shifted to the absence of veteran pacer Mohammed Shami.
The LSG captain first confirmed that opener Aiden Markram had returned home due to a personal matter before revealing that Mohsin Khan would replace Shami in the playing XI. Bishop naturally followed up by asking the reason behind Shami’s omission, but Pant’s response led to a slightly uncomfortable exchange that quickly grabbed attention on social media.
WATCH – Bangladesh Cricketers Troll Mohammad Rizwan After Heated Exchange With Liton Das
Although the moment sparked some banter during the live broadcast, Pant maintained relaxed body language throughout the interaction and continued to stress that Lucknow still had plenty to play for despite their disappointing campaign.
😭😭pant https://t.co/qJO1ppHCkS pic.twitter.com/CYDQr6cc0i
— Pushkar (@Musafirr_hu_yar) May 19, 2026
At the toss:
Pant: Shami is not playing, Mohsin is playing
Bishop: What’s the issue with Shami?
Pant: Yeah
Bishop: What’s the issue with Shami?
Pant: Mohsin
Bishop: No, what’s the issue with Shami?
*Pant makes a puzzled face*
Bishop: Who is out?
Pant: Shami is out,… pic.twitter.com/P70sEgjcaH
— Cricbuzz (@cricbuzz) May 19, 2026
“Pretty confident, we know this is a good wicket to bat on. Happy to either bat or bowl first. Definitely, as I said in the last few games, we have a lot to play for. As a team, we take pride and confidence in playing every match for our fans,” Rishabh Pant said at the toss.
The LSG skipper also insisted that the team wanted to finish the season strongly and prove they remain a competitive unit despite inconsistent performances throughout the tournament.
ALSO READ: Ravichandran Ashwin Reacts To Heated Sanju Samson-Heinrich Klaasen Clash
While Lucknow are already out of the playoff race, they have still managed to challenge top teams like Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Mumbai Indians this season. Rajasthan, meanwhile, entered the contest under immense pressure, knowing another defeat could seriously damage their hopes of qualifying for the IPL 2026 playoffs.
