Rishabh Pant has marked his renewed bond with Yuvraj Singh with a thoughtful present, revealing that the former India captain was key in helping him navigate a rough patch ahead of IPL 2026. Pant reached out to Yuvi for support after a difficult stretch that included a disappointing IPL campaign last season and also seeing his name left out of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup. Yuvraj, who has worked closely with multiple young Indian players in the years since his retirement, spent time helping Pant rebuild his mindset and confidence at a crucial moment.
To show his gratitude, Pant presented Yuvraj with a golf club, along with a warm note that read: “Dear Yuvi paaji, thank you for your support and guidance. See you on the golf course. Love RP.” The gesture carried extra meaning because Yuvraj has become an enthusiastic golfer after hanging up his boots and regularly joins former team-mates on the course for a round.
Yuvraj posted a video of the gift on social media, adding a playful twist by teasing several other mentees. Among those he jokingly called out were Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh, Naman Dhir, Abdul Samad, and Priyansh Arya. In his caption-style banter, Yuvraj wrote: “Sharam karo… Rishabh Pant se kuch seekho (Have some shame… learn something from Rishabh Pant),” encouraging the group to take inspiration from Pant’s considerate gesture.
The light-hearted moment quickly drew attention from fans online, particularly because Yuvraj has played a major mentoring role for many emerging Indian stars in recent seasons.
IPL 2026: Pant’s season under pressure
While the off-field support is clear, Pant’s on-field returns in IPL 2026 have not matched expectations. After nine innings, he has managed 204 runs at an average of 25.50, striking at 128.30. So far, he has registered just a single half-century in the tournament.
Known for his aggressive, match-changing style, Pant has struggled to turn promising starts into big scores this campaign. The team’s situation has also deteriorated, with it languishing at the bottom of the points table after only two wins from nine matches—leaving their playoff hopes in serious doubt.
