Did Rishabh Pant dodge Ian Bishop’s question on Mohammed Shami's absence in RR vs LSG? IPL 2026 toss moment goes viral

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Did Rishabh Pant dodge Ian Bishop’s question on Mohammed Shami's absence in RR vs LSG? IPL 2026 toss moment goes viral originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:​

• Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant and commentator Ian Bishop had an awkward exchange at the toss before RR vs LSG match at Jaipur.
• Pant appeared to misunderstand Bishop's question regarding Mohammed Shami's absence.
• LSG made two changes, bringing in Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni in place of Shami and Aiden Markram.

Rishabh Pant and Ian Bishop's toss exchange goes viral: Did the LSG skipper dodge the Shami question?​

Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant found himself involved in an awkward yet amusing exchange with commentator Ian Bishop before LSG’s IPL 2026 clash against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.

During the toss, Pant confirmed two changes to the LSG lineup: Mohammed Shami missing out and Mohsin Khan returning, while Ayush Badoni replaced Aiden Markram.

Things became confusing when Bishop tried to ask Pant about the reason for Shami's absence.

The interaction unfolded as follows:

Pant: "Shami is not playing, Mohsin is playing."

Bishop: "What’s the issue with Shami?"

Pant: "Yeah."

Bishop: "What's the issue with Shami?"

Pant: "Mohsin."

Bishop: "No, what's the issue with Shami?"

Pant appeared puzzled.

Bishop: "Who is out?"

Pant: "Shami is out, Mohsin is playing."

Bishop: "Yeah, I’m asking..."

Pant: "Aiden is out, Badoni is in."

Bishop: "Okay, we can leave it there."

The exchange immediately caught the attention of fans online, with many interpreting it as Pant misunderstanding the question rather than intentionally dodging it.

MORE:Rishabh Pant loses India Test vice-captaincy to KL Rahul and dropped from ODIs for IND vs AFG series 2026

Shami was ignored from India's squad for the Afghanistan Test and ODI series​

Mohammed Shami's long wait for an India recall took another painful turn on Tuesday when chief selector Ajit Agarkar confirmed that the veteran fast bowler was not even part of the conversation when the squads for the Afghanistan series were being finalised.

"No (discussions on Shami's Test return). As far as we have been told that at this point...his body is allowing him to (play), I know he has played a domestic season this year. But from the information that I have got, is that at this point it's T20 cricket that he's sort of ready for. So there was no discussion regarding him," BCCI chief selector Ajit Agarkar said.

His IPL 2026 campaign for Lucknow Super Giants began well but tailed off, with 10 wickets from 12 matches, which is a modest return by his standards but hardly a damning one. The core issue, as it has been since Shami's heel and Achilles surgery, is whether his body can sustain the workload that Test cricket and 50-over internationals demand.

The Cricket News Opinion: Was Pant dodging the question or simply confused?​

The exchange seemed more like a classic communication mix-up than a deliberate attempt to avoid discussing Shami's omission.

These interviews take place under pressure before a game, often with the crowds in the background, and the player needs to give a response on the spot.

Pant seemingly interpreted Bishop’s question as being about the replacement rather than the injury or reason behind Shami sitting out.

To keep up to date with all the latest cricket news and share your opinion on the biggest topics visit our Facebook, Instagram and X (Twitter) pages.

Continue reading...