It could be said with quite a sense of confidence that Rishabh Pant, the batter as well as the captain has seen back in the past, especially when it comes to the Indian Premier League rather specifically speaking about the Indian Premier League. The 2026 season was but a nightmare. team did not play to its full potential. Rishabh Pant did not play to his full potential, in fact anything, but and more seriously to have finished as one of the far-flung sides from reaching the decisive stages of the IPL and to have been stuck as one of the bottom dwellers on the table is a feeling that is anything, but playful or joyful. You could almost sense a sense of desperation that was lingering within Rishabh Pant, the sad state of affairs being that Lucknow SuperGiants kept on losing one game after the other.  

The Lucknow supergiants were just not able to pack a punch this season, and that’s despite some brilliant heroic individual efforts on the part of Mitch Marsh. While Fast bowlers like Prince Yadav did do their part well by chipping in with useful wickets here and there, it was a collective batting failure with leading names such as Rishabh, Pant himself, and Nikola Puran, who failed to fire that cost the team. And it cost the team a great deal.

So much so that there were always occasions, where Rishabh Pant used to put up with a frustrated face, feeling anxious and helpless in equal measure about the sheer lack of performances that hurt his team and its chances. On some occasions, he would express his deepest thoughts with the team owner, Mr. Goenka, on a total lack of performances.

You could tell, and without much of doubt that he really wasn’t enjoying captaincy. Forget relishing it in the first place.

And as expected now that the season for LSG is over, he has done what one may have expected him to do. So big question is what is it that we are talking about?

Rishabh Pant has dedicated the position of captaincy of the Lucknow super Giants with effect, and here’s what is a bit surprising. Perhaps a touch, if at all. That his decision to resign from the post of LSG’s captain has been immediately accepted by the team’s ownership.

Now none other than Lalit Modi has stepped into offer his humble two cents on the situation as far as what was evident from his comments made on social media recently.

As a matter of fact, Lalit Modi has been alluding to the fact that the toxic environment that was quite evident in the LSG contingent may have had a thing or two, most definitely to see Rishabh Pant out on his way as captain- a decision that the left hander himself took.

He also highlighted the fact that while on the one hand, Mr Goenka was highlighting the fact that Pant would be the team’s captain for at least a decade; but here he was having accepted the batter-keeper’s decision to be relieved of that key role.

The following were Mr Modi’s observation on platform X -

“I can bet anything The young player could not stay day longer in a Team owned by this man as he could not take the public humiliation he was subjected to. Sad day for @LucknowIPL when the owner makes conditions such that the player must resign. This to me is something I completely missed out in my rule book - is how players should be treated by owners. As this opens a new debate - DOES A PLAYER have a choice not to play for a particular team if picked in an auction - and feels he could be subjected to being tormented. No he does not. So is that fair that he should play for an owner in hostile atmosphere. Absolutely not. Solution - I have one. But I want all fans / cricket journalists/ Players to debate this question openly. Of how to ensure decorum in team. As this thing can spiral into toxic atmosphere. One solution I can think is an anonymous Player ACCESS only BOX where a player can put his complaint anonymously and if verified. A system needs to evolve how. That owner may own the team is banned from access to team and can enjoy the dividends of his investment but barred from player interaction. This kind of draconian steps must be put in place to safeguard player mental health and it’s time I say again - owners banned from auctions / Play area / interaction with players on field of play.”