Responding to questions about Rishabh Pant opening the innings in the first match, Arun said, “See, well, the strategies keep changing all the time, and I think the first four places should be very dynamic as far as the team is concerned.”

Arun also recognised the success of last year's opening pair, Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, adding, “We do understand that Mitch and Markram were a very, very good opening pair for us, but also sometimes strategically these things do happen.” He made these remarks during the pre-match press conference.

Leg-spinner Digvesh Singh Rathi, who debuted in the IPL for Lucknow last season and claimed 14 wickets in 2025, did not feature in the opening fixture of the ongoing tournament. Addressing questions about Rathi's availability for the upcoming match against SRH, Arun explained, “We have played just one match so far, and actually, Rathi not playing was because of the situation that we were in in batting, so we wanted an extra bat. He’s a fantastic bowler, he’s done exceptionally well for us in the past, and he would be one of our main spinners going ahead.”

Arun also commented on the challenges and opportunities presented to bowlers in T20 cricket, which is naturally batter-friendly. Speaking ahead of the IPL 2026 match against SRH, he said, “T20 is always batter-friendly. And bowlers are expected, batters are expected to play big shots, and that’s what most of the crowds come for. But I strongly feel there is a challenge for the bowlers. It’s a big challenge and an opportunity for the bowlers to come good and become a hero.”

He added, “Under batting circumstances, a bowler needs to trust his abilities to be able to do well,” emphasising the importance of mental and technical skills required for success in high-scoring conditions.