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Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) find of the season – spinner Digvesh Rathi – was missing from the lineup in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener against Delhi Capitals (DC). In Rathi’s absence, LSG pace attack led by Mohammed Shami reduced DC to 26/4 inside the powerplay overs, but impact player Sameer Rizvi and Tristan Stubbs led them home in a low-scoring encounter. Skipper Rishabh Pant used Aiden Markram and Shahbaz Ahmed for one over each but they were expensive. Ahead of the clash against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), LSG fast-bowling coach Bharat Arun revealed that Rathi was benched to incorporate an extra batter in the lineup.
“Rathi did not play because we wanted an extra batter. He is a fantastic bowler. He has done exceptionally well for us in the past and he would be one of our main spinners going ahead,” Arun said in the pre-game press conference on April 4.
Rathi’s record vs SRH
The last time LSG took on SRH, Rathi got the wickets of Abhishek Sharma and current stand-in skipper Ishan Kishan. The first time he faced SRH, he got the wicket of middle-order batter Aniket Verma.
Arun on Pant’s batting position
In LSG’s clash against DC, skipper Rishabh Pant walked out to open the innings, a decision which surprised many considering how well Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram worked as an opening pair for them last season. He feels that the top four will be dynamic and there will be strategic changes made throughout the season.
“Strategies change all the time. I think the first four places should be very dynamic. We do understand that Mitch (Marsh) and (Aiden) Markram were a good opening pair for us. But sometimes, strategically, these changes do happen,” said the former India bowling coach.
Ahead of facing a menacing SRH, Arun has backed his bowlers to become heroes in a batter-friendly format.
“T20 is batter-friendly. They are expected to play big shots and that’s what the crowds come for. But I strongly feel there is a challenge for the bowlers. It is also an opportunity for them to come good and become a hero. Under batting circumstances, a bowler needs to trust his abilities to be able to do well,” Arun said.
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