Preceding the 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant, the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), paid a visit to Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya to receive blessings before the tournament. This trip was a part of the team’s pre-season planning, and a few members of the LSG management were there. After the temple prayer, Goenka remarked, “We can never finish worshipping Lord Ram, and since the IPL season is near, all the players came to the temple here for worship… Things fall into place with the blessings of Lord Ram.”
LSG’s official X handle shared the news of their visit: “Dr Sanjiv Goenka along with captain Rishabh Pant and a few other squad members, visited Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya to get blessings. JAI SHREE RAM.”
Pant, in the meantime, talked about the team’s pre-season training and the hiring of Bharat Arun as the team’s new bowling coach. He acknowledged Arun’s knowledge and influence on the team, emphasising that his connection with the bowlers has already led to better results and higher self-esteem. “The training with the fast bowlers has been awesome. Bharat Arun, sir, has become a part of the team, and since his arrival, he has been contributing a lot. I have had mainly discussions with him about what I expect from bowlers and what he thinks he can bring to the table. The vibe is just great. He is one of the most gifted bowling coaches, and I trust him since I worked with him when he was part of the Indian cricket team, ” Pant stated.
Besides that, the captain pointed out that Arun’s tenure has made the bowlers comfortable enough to discuss their thoughts and provide feedback, thereby solidifying the team’s strategy as a whole. “He is the one with experience. The bowlers have confidence in him, and they share their thoughts with him, which is exactly what you want from a bowling coach: a person who adds value to the system. When we turn the clock back to last season, we felt that we had to bolster our bowling. So, he is the one who can be of great help to us, and that is the main reason I am looking forward to working with him, ” Pant expressed.
LSG IPL Schedule
On March 11, the BCCI released the schedule for the first phase of IPL 2026 that will be played from March 28 to April 12. Pant’s LSG will kick off their season with a home game against Delhi Capitals on April 1, followed by matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5, Kolkata Knight Riders on April 9, and Gujarat Titans on April 12. The current champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, will match their wits with Sunrisers Hyderabad in the first game at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
