Rishabh Pant retired hurt during the RCB vs LSG IPL 2026 match at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on April 15 after copping repeated blows from Josh Hazlewood in the 5th over of the LSG innings. The LSG captain walked off the field in visible discomfort, raising immediate concerns about what happened to Rishabh Pant and the severity of the Rishabh Pant injury.
Why Rishabh Pant Retired Hurt? How Did Rishabh Pant Injury Happen?
The Rishabh Pant elbow injury occurred during a bruising over from Josh Hazlewood. Pant came to the crease at No. 3 with LSG already under pressure at Chinnaswamy. Hazlewood, who returned to the RCB playing XI for this match, bowled a hostile spell that troubled the left-hander from the start.
On ball 4.2, Hazlewood bowled a pacy delivery just outside off. Pant went for a wild slog and missed it completely, beaten by the pace. Next ball, Hazlewood banged it in short and on the stumps. Pant attempted a cross-batted shot but was beaten by the extra pace, taking a painful blow on the body. On 4.4, Hazlewood took the pace off with a short ball outside off. Pant tried to heave across the line but could only edge it towards the keeper without timing anything.
The following delivery struck Pant on the stomach, leaving him in clear pain. The physio came out to assess him on the field. However, it was the blow on the elbow that ultimately forced him off. Pant was seen grimacing as he walked back to the dugout, with Hazlewood checking in on him and patting him on the back — a gesture that underlined the severity of the hit.
Pant received the magic spray treatment on the field before deciding he could not continue. He departed without scoring, having faced four balls in what was a torrid spell from the Australian quick.
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Nicholas Pooran Replaces Pant in the Middle
With Pant retiring hurt, Nicholas Pooran came in to bat with LSG in trouble at 33/1 after 5 overs. Pooran, who has been inconsistent this IPL 2026 season, was thrust into a high-pressure situation with the LSG innings needing stabilisation after the loss of their captain.
The Rishabh Pant injury also meant LSG lost their wicketkeeper in the middle of the innings, a significant blow to a side already struggling with batting form this season. The LSG skipper has managed just 103 runs from five matches this IPL 2026 campaign at a strike rate of 130.
Can Rishabh Pant Bat Again?
Yes, Rishabh Pant could bat again later in the innings and he did. Under cricket’s laws, a batter who retires hurt is not considered dismissed. As per MCC Law 25.4.2, a player who leaves the field due to injury or illness is entitled to resume their innings at the fall of a subsequent wicket, provided they are fit enough to do so.
Pant Returns… But Falls for 1
Pant later returned to bat after the fall of wickets, as permitted under the laws for a retired hurt player. However, his stay was extremely brief.
- He was dropped earlier in the innings by Suyash Sharma at short third man
- Shortly after his return, Pant was dismissed for 1 run
- Phil Salt took a sharp diving catch to end his innings
The brief comeback suggested Pant was still not fully comfortable following the elbow blow.
This is different from being retired out, which is a tactical decision and counts as a dismissal. Pant’s retirement was purely injury-related, so he retained the right to return.
Why is Rishabh Pant Not Keeping Wickets for LSG?
This is again because of the elbow injury. While he batted to try and maximise LSG’s score, Pant did not take the field as wicketkeeper during the RCB chase due to his injury. Mukul Choudhary took over wicketkeeping duties instead. This confirms the injury had a continued impact beyond Pant’s batting. Further updates are awaited after the game.
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