[Watch]: “Batting First?” Rishabh Pant’s Light-Hearted Dig At Axar Patel Breaks The Internet

The IPL 2025 season has already kicked off with some high-octane clashes, but one of the most anticipated moments came when Rishabh Pant, a longtime Delhi Capitals stalwart, faced his former team for the first time. Having made a sensational switch to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a record-breaking INR 27 crore, Pant’s new journey started with an emotional yet strategic encounter against DC.

LSG vs DC: The Toss Drama

Monday’s toss in Visakhapatnam was more than just a pre-match ritual—it was a moment loaded with emotions and humor. With Axar Patel now leading Delhi Capitals, he flipped the coin, and Pant, hoping for luck on his side, guessed incorrectly.

The light-hearted moment continued as Pant cheekily declared, “Batting first!” even though he lost the toss. Former cricketer Murali Karthik, who was at the toss, acknowledged the camaraderie between the two captains, showing that friendships transcend team boundaries.

🚨 Toss 🚨@DelhiCapitals won the toss and elected to field against @LucknowIPL

Updates ▶️ https://t.co/aHUCFODDQL#TATAIPL | #DCvLSG pic.twitter.com/FKwFBfGGt8

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 24, 2025

Rishabh Pant’s Journey from Delhi to Lucknow

Pant’s departure from Delhi Capitals wasn’t just a regular transfer—it was a high-stakes move that shook the franchise. Having played for DC throughout his IPL career, this shift marked a major transition for him. LSG’s record-breaking bid of INR 27 crore showed just how much they valued his wicketkeeping and leadership skills.

Axar Patel – The New DC Captain

With Pant’s exit, Delhi Capitals had to find a new leader, and Axar Patel was their choice. Having played under Pant’s leadership in previous seasons, Axar acknowledged that they both knew each other’s strengths and tricks. However, as he took over the captaincy, he had the challenge of leading a team that had lost its most influential player.

The Strategy Behind the Toss

Both captains had the same strategy in mind—bowl first. The pitch conditions in Visakhapatnam favored early movement for the bowlers, making it a logical decision. However, the moment of the toss added an element of fun and nostalgia, as Pant and Axar shared a laugh over their choices.

Rishabh Pant stated at the toss, “I wanted to bowl first but It’s a good wicket so we can bat well and put up a good score. I have played for DC all my life, so a lot of emotions there. Preparations have been well, everyone is in the right shape and in the right frame of mind. Markram, Marsh, Pooran and Miller are our four overseas players.”

Axar Patel said at the toss, “We are going to bowl first. It’s the dew factor, we don’t want to take any risk, that’s why we are bowling first. I have played with Pant before, he knows me and I know him. We know our tricks. I have played a lot for the Capitals, we have a well balanced side. There’s dew sometimes, not always. I have been with DC since three years, I have been with the leadership group. I need to work accordingly. Need to think like a leader. Faf du Plessis, Stubbs, Starc and Fraser-McGurk are our four overseas.”

DC vs LSG Playing XIs

Delhi Capitals: Axar Patel (c), Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Abishek Porel (wk), Sameer Rizvi, Tristan Stubbs, Vipraj Nigam, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohit Sharma, Mukesh Kumar.

Lucknow Super Giants: Rishabh Pant (c & wk), David Miller, Ayush Badoni, Mitchell Marsh, Prince Yadav, Digvesh Singh, Nicholas Pooran, Shahbaz Ahmed, Aiden Markram, Shardul Thakur, Ravi Bishnoi.

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