IPL 2026: Pant’s form not a concern says LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun

Skipper Rishabh Pant during LSG’s practice session at Wankhede on Sunday. Pic/PTI

Though Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant is struggling for form in this IPL, LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun insists it's not a big issue ahead of their game against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium tonight. Pant has managed just 189 runs with the help of one half-century from eight games so far.

"About Rishabh Pant's form, I don't think the price tag [Rs 27 crore] has anything to do with it. If you really look at his batting throughout, if you look at the second game [scored 68 not out vs Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5] that we played, he took us through the line. So, I wouldn't be too concerned about his form. It's just a question of [being] one innings away from getting back his form," Arun said during the pre-match press conference on Sunday.

Bharat Arun. Pic/IPL

Arun also revealed that veteran India pacer Mohammed Shami, who has claimed seven wickets in eight games at an economy of 8.06 this season, is enjoying his bowling. When asked if there's any chance of Shami making a comeback to the Indian team, Arun replied: "I think Shami's mindset is very, very clear. On numerous occasions, he said, ‘selection is not in my [Shami] hands, but to do well is in my hands'. And that's exactly what he's doing. If you look at the form with which he's bowling, everybody's now asking, ‘why is Shami not in the international team?' So I think it's totally up to him. He's enjoying his bowling."