To become the most expensive player ever in the history of IPL is no mean task. Rishabh Pant will certainly feel the burden of the big bucks when he takes field for LSG, for the very first time, as captain, that too against his previous franchise of eight years — DC. What would add to the pressure is, he has never won the IPL trophy, is out of the Indian setup in white-ball cricket, and his form in the format hasn’t been great.
Rishabh Pant Needs to Come Good for LSG
All these things combined could either make, or break Rishabh Pant the T20 player. Look, no one can ever dispute the greatness of the keeper-batter, but then time-and-again, he has fallen short of expectations in the IPL, and T20s at large. In 111 matches in the league, he has 3284 runs to his name, at an average of 35, and a strike-rate of 148. Not bad, but not legendary stuff either.
Rishabh bhaiya ka shot, Arshin rocked
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 24, 2025pic.twitter.com/dBd6Zs0fIp
Last year in 2024, he had his one his best years in the tournament, where he scored 446 runs at an average of 40, and a strike-rate of 155, but failed to take his team to the playoffs. Prior to that in 2022, he had a poor season by his standards, where he just scored 340 runs in 14 matches, at an average of 30.90.
IPL Record Not Great, T20I Numbers Poor
In T20Is for India, he endured poor 2022 and 2024, where he scored 364 runs in 25 matches at an average of 21, and 222 runs in 10 matches at an average of 27, respectively. And hence, he was overlooked from the Indian team altogether. These are the numbers that have, in a way, halted his stardom in the shortest format, just when he was touted as the next big thing, after his U-19 World Cup exploits in 2016.
To make matters worse, he will be up against a DC, that might field bowlers, against who Rishabh Pant hasn’t been at his best. DC has the likes of T Natarajan, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Mitchell Starc. Against new DC skipper Axar, in 2 innings, Pant has faced three deliveries, and is yet to score any runs against him.
Manzil kareeb hai, junoon beintehaan, aur hausla buland!
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 24, 2025
Aaj ek naye safar ki seedhi chadhni hai… Ab apni baari haipic.twitter.com/AdqZ00Dz7i
Pant vs DC Bowlers
Versus Nattu, he has scored 26 runs in 24 balls, at a strike-rate of 108, in 4 innings. That has 9 dots, 10 singles, one four and a six. Against Kuldeep, his record falls drastically. In 4 innings, he has 23 runs in 21 balls, with two dismissals as well. Lastly, Starc has bowled just one ball, that he managed to hit for six. All this; it shows it won’t be easy for Rishabh Pant.
But then, he definitely has a point to prove here. And one good game can change his fortunes, and LSG’s too. And maybe that can bring him back in the national reckoning.
Editor's Pick
Cricket
Battling spin: Kohli's intense preparation for CSK's threat in Chennai
Top Stories
