Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has urged Rishabh Pant to continue playing as opener in IPL 2026. Pant opened the innings against Delhi Capitals at Lucknow on Wednesday with Mitchell Marsh after having a mundane run in the previous season.

The southpaw didn’t have the rub of the green on his side as he was run out after Mitchell Marsh’s straight drive struck the stumps after ricocheting from Mukesh Kumar’s right-hand. Pant was dismissed after scoring seven runs off nine balls and thus his batting promotion didn’t pay off.

“It was very unfortunate the way Rishabh Pant got out, and even more unfortunate the way he talked after the match. He was asked whether he would open the innings, and he replied 50-50. I request you with folded hands, please open in every match. Justin Langer, or whoever is there in the LSG team management, should go and tell Rishabh Pant to go out there and play freely in the powerplay. Go and play the entire 14 games as an opener,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

“If he comes into bat after the powerplay, the bowlers have a strategy to stop him. So, I think he should open the batting, for himself and for LSG as well,” he added.

Pant said he will bat in the top order for LSG in the ongoing season but highlighted it will be a 50-50 call as far as opening is concerned.

“It’s still a 50-50 call, but you’ll definitely see me batting in the top order this season,” Pant said during the post-match presentation.

“The best way to recover is to move on and not dwell on it too much. Certain things are beyond your control, and thinking about them only puts you on the back foot. It’s about looking ahead and staying positive,” he said of his unfortunate run-out and match result

Lucknow Super Giants will next take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Hyderabad, on Sunday.