The LSG captain managed to score only 103 runs from seven matches in IPL 2025
The debate around Rishabh Pant’s white-ball credentials has grown over the last few years. Since the beginning of last year, the keeper-batter has played 30 T20 matches and scored 771 runs at an average of 30.84.
A major chunk of those runs have come in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 while captaining Delhi Capitals. The 13 matches he played last season yielded 446 runs at a strike rate of 155 and an average of 40.54. He finished as the DC’s highest run-getter too.
However, the period after that has been tough for the southpaw who has struggled in T20Is scoring just 222 runs from 10 matches – all while batting in positions between No.3 and No. 5.
After he switched franchises for IPL 2025 and was made captain of Lucknow Super Giants, Pant’s disappointing T20 form continued. Even though his leadership skills have improved, his struggles with the bat didn’t.
The 27-year-old has scored just 103 runs from seven games with the 63 off 49 balls against Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday being his highest score this season.
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Former India batter and Ranji legend Wasim Jaffer pointed to a specific aspect of the game which Pant has been doing wrong in white-ball cricket.
“I don’t know whether he looks to rotate the strike. Virat Kohli is a master at that. He gets off strike so nicely as he can play all around. But Pant sometimes does get stuck, and that’s the issue. Then he goes for that big shot. I feel he needs to get better at rotating strike as well,” Jaffer said on ESPNCricinfo’s TimeOut show.
Pant has also developed a penchant for ramp shots in recent years, often trying to hit the ball over the keeper’s head which has also led to his shots becoming predictable for opponents. Jaffer felt that there are other areas of the ground which Pant can slot the ball in order to increase his strike rate.
“I feel he never looks to hit straight. He always looks to go towards the leg side, towards square leg, cow corner. He hit one straight six right towards the end. Otherwise, at the start of the innings, he was always looking to go towards the leg side, or that reverse scoop that he played, but that was the only thing. A lot of the time, the teams stack up the fielders in that area as well. So I think he needs to access down the ground a lot more,” Jaffer said.
Despite Pant’s lukewarm run with the bat, LSG have benefited heavily from the exploits of opening duo Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh while Purple Cap contender Nicholas Pooran has already crossed 350 runs from seven matches and has hit 31 sixes in the tournament.
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