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New Delhi: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will face Mumbai Indians (MI) in the match no.47 of theIPL 2026 at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday, May 4. Ahead of the clash, LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun has backed skipper Rishabh Pant and dismissed concerns around the massive price tag.

Pant was picked by the Lucknow-based franchise for a whopping Rs 27 crores in the IPL 2025 mega auction, but the India wicketkeeper-batter has struggled to score runs for LSG since then. They finished seventh last season under Pant’s leadership.

He only managed to score just 269 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 127.50, including one hundred and a half-century. This season, LSG are placed at the bottom of the points table with only two victories in eight games, and Pant has again struggled to score runs so far. The wicketkeeper-batter has amassed just 189 runs at a strike rate of 126.84 with one half-century.

“I don’t think the price tag has got to do anything with it. It’s just a question of, if you really look at his batting throughout and if you look at the second game that we played, he took us through the (finish) line,” Arun said in the pre-match press conference.

The bowling coach further added that he’s not much concerned about Pant’s form, and the wicketkeeper-batter is just one innings away from getting it back. He further added that every remaining game is a knockout for LSG.

Arun also praised Mohammed Shami and said that the pacer is making people wonder why he is not in the Indian team. He further added that Shami is enjoying his bowling and is not thinking about the selection in the national team.

“Shami’s mindset is very, very clear. On numerous occasions, he said, ‘Selection is not in my hands, but to do well is in my hands’. That’s exactly what he’s doing. If you look at the form in which he’s bowling, everybody is now talking ‘Why is Shami not in the national team?” Arun added.

MI suffered an 8-wicket defeat against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their last match, and will look to register their second win at home. The Hardik Pandya-led side is placed in the ninth position on the IPL 2026 points table with 4 points in 9 matches.