Rishabh Pant, captain of Lucknow Super Giants, won the toss and opted to bat first against Rajasthan Royals in their Indian Premier League (IPL) encounter on Saturday.

In a significant development for Rajasthan Royals, Riyan Parag took on the role of stand-in captain, as regular skipper Sanju Samson was ruled out due to a side strain sustained during the previous match. Parag, known for his aggressive middle-order batting, has now been entrusted with leading the team on short notice, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest.