Rishabh Pant’s difficult run in the Indian Premier League continued as the Lucknow Super Giants captain endured yet another failure with the bat during their clash against the Rajasthan Royals.
Chasing a modest target of 160 at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Pant walked in at No. 3 but was dismissed for a three-ball duck by Nandre Burger, further deepening concerns around his form.
A Season to Forget
Pant, who was signed by Lucknow Super Giants for a record ₹27 crore by owner Sanjiv Goenka, has struggled to justify his price tag. Since joining the franchise, the left-hander has failed to deliver consistent performances either as a batter or as a leader.
In 20 innings for LSG, Pant has managed just 416 runs at an average of under 25 and a strike rate just below 130—numbers that fall short of expectations for a marquee T20 player.
Social Media Backlash Grows
Pant’s repeated failures have triggered strong reactions online, with fans drawing comparisons to Babar Azam, who has also faced criticism for inconsistent performances in recent times.
Several users questioned Pant’s effectiveness in white-ball cricket, while others pointed to concerns around his fitness—an increasingly crucial factor in the fast-paced T20 format.
Match Recap
Earlier in the game, LSG’s bowlers produced a disciplined effort to restrict RR to 159. Mohammed Shami, Prince Yadav, and Mohsin Khan led the charge, picking up two wickets each while conceding just 76 runs collectively in their 12 overs. For RR, Ravindra Jadeja anchored the innings with an unbeaten 43.
However, LSG’s chase never got going. Early strikes from RR reduced them to 11/3, with Pant, Ayush Badoni, and Aiden Markram all dismissed without scoring.
Mitchell Marsh offered brief resistance with a half-century, but lacked support from the other end as LSG’s innings unravelled.
Concerns Mount for LSG
With results not going their way and their captain struggling for form, pressure is mounting on Lucknow Super Giants to turn things around quickly in the tournament.
