Rishabh Pant’s day in Jaipur could hardly have gone worse. Even before he took the field against the Rajasthan Royals, the national selectors landed two setbacks for the India wicketkeeper-batter—first dropping him from the ODI squad, and then, more painfully, removing him from the leadership picture in Tests, the format where he has been among the most influential performers. Pant had previously served as vice-captain to Shubman Gill on the demanding England tour last year. With Gill unavailable, Pant captained India in their most recent Test, against South Africa in Guwahati.
Selectors, talk at the toss, and a night that turned sour
After the off-field blows, the evening unfolded with more drama on the match stage. Pant went for the toss and had an awkward moment with Ian Bishop—later framed as a misunderstanding, though it quickly gained attention. By the end of the night, Pant had suffered a defeat and faced another uncomfortable interaction during an interview, one that is expected to invite disciplinary scrutiny. The controversy also spilled into the wider IPL chatter, with incredulity growing over remarks calling LSG a “f***ing good team” despite sitting at the bottom of the standings after winning only four of their 13 games.
How Pant’s innings shaped Lucknow’s total
In the match itself, Pant was again central to the slowdown that kept Lucknow Super Giants short of the score they appeared capable of chasing or setting. He came in when LSG were 151 for 2 in the 13th over and scored 35 off 23 balls. But as the innings progressed, Lucknow tapered off and finished on 220, a total that ultimately proved insufficient.
Captaincy questions and the numbers behind Pant’s LSG season
Pant has now featured in all 27 of LSG’s matches since joining the franchise in a record-breaking deal worth INR 27 crore. Across that stretch, he has amassed 555 runs at a strike rate of 136.69, which is noticeably below his career benchmark of 144.18. He has also been candid about the “too many minds” surrounding leadership at LSG, where the group includes high-profile figures such as Justin Langer, Tom Moody and Kane Williamson, alongside the well-regarded bowling coach Bharat Arun.
One of those voices—possibly the key one outside the captain and the owner—brought a fresh dose of disappointment for Pant at the press conference.
“Look, Rishabh has been around for a long time,” Langer said. “I think he started playing in the Indian side when he was 18 years old. He understands it. And numbers don’t lie. So he would be the first to admit it’s been two very disappointing seasons for him with the bat.
“He has had some great innings, but he’ll be disappointed with those numbers. You know, you expect a lot from your senior players, and he’ll be feeling it as much as anyone.”
Batting positions and the search for a settled role
Pant’s IPL journey with Lucknow has also reflected the uncertainty around his best fit. He began his stint at LSG batting at No. 4, but finished the previous season with a century from No. 3. This year, he opened in the first match, then moved to No. 3 quickly. The results have meant he has had to slide down the order again to make the most of Nicholas Pooran’s position in the batting lineup.
With Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis delivering strong early dividends for the side, and with Aiden Markram being used as the No. 4 option after Pooran at 3, the question of Pant’s ideal slot remains open. In that setup, it is now being suggested that Pant may need to adapt further—perhaps even taking inspiration from his idol MS Dhoni by training to function as a lower-order six-hitter.
- Pant missed out on ODI selection and was also removed from the Test leadership group.
- He had an awkward toss interaction with Ian Bishop and later faced another uncomfortable interview moment.
- Lucknow’s innings ended at 220, with Pant scoring 35 off 23 after arriving at 151 for 2 in the 13th over.
- In 27 LSG games since his INR 27 crore purchase, Pant has 555 runs at a strike rate of 136.69.
- Langer backed Pant while admitting that the recent seasons with the bat have been disappointing.
- His batting order has shifted often—No. 4 earlier, No. 3 late in the previous IPL, opening briefly this year, and then back down again to support Pooran.
- With Marsh and Inglis doing well at the top and Markram operating at No. 4, Pant’s role may require further evolution, including a possible lower-order hitting focus.
