Manoj Tiwary Slams Rishabh Pant for Arjun Tendulkar Snub Amid LSG Crisis

A Season of Despair for the Super Giants

The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are currently enduring a campaign to forget in the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League. Sitting at the basement of the points table, the franchise has hit a new low, suffering seven defeats, including a dismal streak of six consecutive losses. From close-fought Super Over heartbreaks against the Kolkata Knight Riders to failing to defend robust totals, the side appears to be in a state of leadership crisis.

Manoj Tiwary Questions Pant’s Tactical Acumen

At the center of this storm is skipper Rishabh Pant. Former Indian cricketer and KKR batter, Manoj Tiwary, has not held back in his assessment of the team’s leadership. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Tiwary highlighted that Pant’s decision-making has been fundamentally flawed during critical junctures of the season.

The most glaring example occurred in a recent encounter where, despite posting a competitive 228 runs, the LSG bowling unit crumbled. While veteran pacers like Mohammed Shami and Mohsin Khan leaked runs at an alarming rate, the captain seemed unable to implement a strategy to stem the flow. Tiwary pointed out that Prince Yadav was the only bowler who managed to maintain discipline, primarily through the execution of perfect yorkers.

The Arjun Tendulkar Mystery

Perhaps the most contentious point raised by Tiwary is the continued benching of Arjun Tendulkar. With the team struggling to find a breakthrough or control the death overs, Tiwary expressed genuine confusion over why Tendulkar has been sidelined.

“I even saw videos on social media, posted by LSG, showing Arjun Tendulkar bowling yorkers in the nets. So Pant could have brought him in. This is where MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are different as captains,” Tiwary remarked. According to the former batter, failing to utilize a resource that has clearly demonstrated the ability to nail yorkers in training is a significant oversight by the current leadership.

Tiwary further added, “Pant is also losing out on tactical moves. In the match against Mumbai, Prince Yadav was the only economical bowler… As a captain, you should have told the other bowlers to follow that plan.” The failure to force a tactical shift while the opposition dominated the length balls was cited as a prime reason for the team’s defensive collapse.

Pant Takes Responsibility for Batting Woes

In a rare moment of transparency, Rishabh Pant has publicly shouldered the blame for his own lack of form. The skipper acknowledged that his inability to anchor the middle order has been a major contributing factor to the losing streak. Despite explosive starts from teammates like Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh, the momentum frequently stalled after Pant’s departure.

Dismissed for a quick-fire 15 off 10 balls in the most recent outing, Pant conceded that his presence at the crease for a longer duration could have added the necessary cushion to their total, which ultimately proved insufficient. As the team searches for answers, the pressure continues to mount not only on the players but specifically on the tactical vision provided by the captain.

What Lies Ahead?

With the playoff race slipping away, the Lucknow Super Giants are at a crossroads. The criticism from experts like Manoj Tiwary highlights a growing sentiment that the team requires a more decisive and adaptive captaincy style to turn their fortunes around. Whether Pant will adapt his approach or if the management will look toward different tactical configurations remains to be seen in the final leg of the tournament.

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