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Lucknow Super Giants suffered their fourth consecutive defeat in TATA IPL 2026 as Rajasthan Royals returned to winning ways with a 40-run victory. Ravindra Jadeja, along with Sanjay Bangar, weighed in on his batting approach, Rishabh Pant's form and the high-octane MI-CSK clash.
Ravindra Jadeja elaborated on his batting approach:
"When I was batting, it wasn’t that easy. LSG have quality fast bowlers, who were bowling with pace and in good areas. It was a red-soil surface, so there was bounce, and they were getting the ball to seam. We kept losing wickets and couldn’t build any partnerships. So, Donovan and I spoke about taking the innings deep. But in T20 cricket, you have to keep taking risks here and there to get to a good score. Unfortunately,
he got out at the wrong time. I was just calculating the overs and was aware that Mayank Yadav might bowl the final over. I just wanted to use his pace, with a short leg-side boundary and mid-off and mid-on both up. Three of the deliveries were short, and he played a bluff by bowling one full, but luckily, I was able to score a boundary off that as well. We got those 20 runs, and as a team, you gain confidence when your bowlers have a few extra runs to play with."
On bowling slow on that Lucknow surface:
"When I was batting against Digvesh Rathi, a few of his deliveries were stopping in the wicket. So, I thought that if I bowled slow on this surface, I might get some purchase as well. I didn’t want to give any pace to either Mitch Marsh or Pooran, because they are big hitters and are known to hit big. So, I bowled slower, but I also wanted to vary my pace, as I didn’t want to be predictable. If they hit a six or two, all the pressure built earlier gets released, reducing the margin of runs required."
On not being able to finish his quota of overs in a couple of games previously:
"When I come to the ground, I leave my personal ego in the hotel room. I just think about contributing in whatever way the team wants from me. When it comes to batting, I wanted to take it deep in this game, because if I had gotten out in the 17th or 18th over playing a wrong shot, we wouldn’t have reached 159 and might have fallen 20–25 runs short. Chasing a smaller target might then have been easier for LSG. In T20 cricket, every surface, condition, and match situation is different, so you have to adapt accordingly. If, on a given day, the team feels that I have a negative match-up against a particular batter, I understand that. It might work, or it might not; that’s part of the game."
Sanjay Bangar analysed LSG Captain Rishabh Pant’s form:
“It just didn’t feel right, the shots he attempted at the start of his innings. In his first three balls, he tried to swing across the line each time. As a top-order batter with a lot of international runs and experience, this is something he would be very disappointed with. His body language said it all; he knew he got it wrong. If he applies more clarity to his approach early on, he will get far better returns.”
On TATA IPL's biggest rivalry, the MI vs CSK clash:
“Confidence isn’t an issue for MI. The runs are coming from key players, with impactful hundreds by Quinton de Kock in an earlier game and Tilak Varma in the last one. Jasprit Bumrah taking the new ball was a positive, and the spinners have chipped in as well. Ghazanfar looks like a solid option alongside Santner. With Will Jacks available, MI are gradually settling into their best combination.”
On Rohit Sharma’s inclusion against CSK:
“Even if it’s purely as a batter or impact player, MI should look to use him. Strong starts are crucial, and the most successful teams this season have had both batting and bowling firing together. If Rohit and Quinton de Kock can build a solid opening stand, it eases the pressure on Suryakumar Yadav and the middle order. At this stage, MI should consider taking a calculated risk on his fitness and use him as an impact substitute.”
