Rishabh Pant provided Lucknow Super Giants with a moment of real relief on Thursday night, holding his nerve to finish unbeaten on 32 off just 10 balls as LSG beat Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine runs in Match 49 of IPL 2026 at Lucknow, with the result decided by the DLS method. Mitchell Marsh blazed his way to a stunning 111 and Nicholas Pooran struck 38 as Lucknow posted 209 for 3, and Pant’s late burst gave the home side the extra edge they needed after a season that has otherwise gone badly off track.
LSG’s big total and Pant’s finishing burst
Chasing a target on a night when the home team looked set to pressurise the opposition, Bengaluru found themselves short despite a late push. Lucknow’s innings was anchored by a century from Mitchell Marsh, while Nicholas Pooran added quick runs to lift the total to 209 for 3. With the match flowing towards a tense finish, Pant’s undefeated cameo of 32 from 10 deliveries ensured the pressure stayed with RCB until the final overs, ultimately sealing the win for LSG via DLS.
- Match: IPL 2026, Match 49 (Lucknow)
- LSG total: 209 for 3
- Marsh: 111
- Pooran: 38
- Pant: 32* off 10 (match-winning finishing impact)
- Result: LSG won by nine runs (DLS method)
Relief from the six-game drought, but form still a concern
The victory snapped a run of six successive matches without a win, bringing a much-needed lift to an LSG side still fighting to keep its season alive. However, Pant’s own campaign continues to look uneven, echoing the pattern that has followed him through recent years—brief bursts of brilliance followed by extended periods where the rhythm doesn’t fully show up.
Why Pant’s T20 numbers have dipped since his early IPL rise
Pant’s IPL story began with immediate impact. In 2018, playing for Delhi Capitals, he delivered a breakthrough that convinced many he was destined to become a defining T20 presence. That season, he compiled 684 runs in 14 innings at an average of 52.61 and a strike rate of above 173, featuring a century and five half-centuries. The promise was clear: an aggressive, fearless style built for short-format cricket.
Yet, after that standout year, he has not gone past the 500-run mark in a single IPL season again. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Lucknow Super Giants acquired him for Rs 27 crore, which made him the most expensive player in IPL history—an investment that has placed enormous expectations on his shoulders.
- Pant’s breakthrough IPL season: 2018 (Delhi Capitals)
- 2018 stats: 684 runs in 14 innings, average 52.61, strike rate above 173
- 2018 milestones: 1 century and 5 fifties
- Post-2018: never crossed 500 IPL runs in a season again
- LSG purchase before IPL 2025 mega auction: Rs 27 crore (IPL record at the time)
IPL 2026 output and the lone half-century
In IPL 2026, the struggles have been especially visible. The win kept LSG’s slim playoff hopes alive, but Pant’s numbers have not matched the level expected from someone carrying such a marquee label. Over ten matches, he has made 236 runs with an average of 29.50 and a strike rate of 139.64.
For a batter known earlier for explosive acceleration, those figures point to a clear drop in influence. His boundary production has also reduced, with only 23 fours and nine sixes. His only half-century of the season came in a difficult knock: an unbeaten 68 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
- IPL 2026: 236 runs in 10 matches
- Average: 29.50
- Strike rate: 139.64
- Fours: 23
- Sixes: 9
- Only half-century: 68* vs Sunrisers Hyderabad
Starts without the finish: key innings and role changes
Even when Pant flashes signs of returning to form, converting starts into match-turning performances has been a persistent issue. In LSG’s heavy chase of 255 against Punjab Kings, he struck four sixes—two of them delivered one-handed—before his innings slowed at a crucial stage. He finished with 43 off 23 balls.
Against Kolkata Knight Riders, Pant made 42 off 38 in a chase that never truly took off for Lucknow. The innings stalled as LSG slipped from 78 for 3 to 148 for 8 before the match ended in a Super Over, where LSG ultimately failed to complete the job.
- vs Punjab Kings: 4 sixes (including two one-handed), finished 43 off 23
- vs Kolkata Knight Riders: 42 off 38; LSG collapsed from 78/3 to 148/8
- Outcome vs KKR: match went to Super Over after the chase ended in the same contest
How last season and 2024 changed the baseline
Some of the dip has been building. Last season, Pant scored 269 runs across 14 matches, but 118 of those came in a final league game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru that was described as a dead rubber. Since the start of 2024, he has averaged just 24.89 at a strike rate of 131.02 across 22 IPL innings.
This season alone, Lucknow have tried Pant in multiple batting spots—opening, then moving him to No. 3 and No. 4—suggesting uncertainty both about how best to use him and about what his form can reliably deliver.
- IPL 2025: 269 runs in 14 matches
- Dead rubber contribution: 118 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final league game
- Since start of 2024: average 24.89, strike rate 131.02 across 22 IPL innings
- IPL 2026 batting positions for LSG: opener, No. 3, No. 4
White-ball struggles extend beyond the IPL
While IPL performances have drawn the loudest scrutiny, Pant’s recent white-ball output for the broader international game has also softened. In 76 T20 Internationals, he has scored 1,209 runs at an average of 23.25 and a strike rate slightly above 127, with only three half-centuries. His ODI numbers remain steadier, with 871 runs in 31 matches at an average of 33.50, but he hasn’t been part of India’s white-ball setup since the 2024 Sri Lanka tour.
Since then, KL Rahul has strengthened his position in India’s ODI side, while Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have moved ahead in the T20 pecking order. Samson’s rise has been particularly pronounced after a sensational T20 World Cup run, where he scored 321 runs and earned the Player of the Tournament award.
- T20I record: 1,209 runs in 76 matches
- T20I average: 23.25
- T20I strike rate: just over 127
- T20I half-centuries: 3
- ODI record: 871 runs in 31 matches
- ODI average: 33.50
- Last India white-ball appearance before this period: 2024 Sri Lanka tour
- India ODI competition: KL Rahul strengthened his spot
- India T20 competition: Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson advanced; Samson won Player of the Tournament after 321 runs in the T20 World Cup
Irfan Pathan on pressure, captaincy questions, and the “Champions Wali Commentary”
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes Pant’s recent struggles have been disappointing, especially given the expectations attached to him both as a player and as a captain. Speaking during a media interaction, Pathan said he had high hopes once Pant took over the leadership role, but that things have not gone his way over the last couple of seasons.
On the question of whether Pant might face selection pressure in the ODI setup—especially the possibility of being dropped—Pathan suggested the picture will only become clear after the IPL ends, adding that Pant still has a few matches left to regain form and win games.
- Pathan’s view: expectations as player and captain have not been matched in recent seasons
- ODI selection pressure: only clearer after the IPL concludes
- Possibility highlighted: Pant could still return to form and influence matches from here
Marquee-player expectations and the leadership debate
Pathan also touched on the reality that marquee players are often expected to change matches on their own, and that Pant has struggled to do so consistently for LSG despite the large investment and the label that comes with it.
He added that a broader debate is now growing around Pant’s captaincy and whether LSG should consider alternative leadership in the future. In Pathan’s view, if there are Indian options available in the playing XI, then moving toward them makes sense. He also argued that making such a change mid-season is difficult, but noted it has happened before—pointing to Mumbai Indians replacing Ricky Ponting with Rohit Sharma, after which Rohit continued as captain for years.
Pathan framed the key question for Lucknow as whether they have an Indian candidate who can lead for the next few years—at least until the next mega auction. He said clarity from management and communication with Pant are both essential if any decision is to be handled properly.
- Marquee expectation: franchise spend and status bring expectations of game-changing performances
- Pathan’s view: inconsistent match impact has increased pressure on Pant
- Captaincy debate: whether LSG should move toward Indian leadership options if available in XI
- Mid-season difficulty: taking such a call is hard, but precedents exist (MI replacing Ponting with Rohit)
- Core question for LSG: availability of an Indian leader for the next few years until the next mega auction
- Importance stressed: management clarity and communication with Pant
Pathan on Hindi feed coverage and “Champions Wali Commentary”
Beyond the on-field analysis, Pathan also spoke about his experience on JioHotstar’s “Champions Wali Commentary,” a dedicated Hindi digital feed featuring former IPL champions. He said he is enjoying the format and believes viewers are getting a fresher perspective, pointing out that while regular commentary moves quickly, the Champions Wali feed works at its own pace with deeper discussions and more cricket knowledge.
- Pathan enjoys “Champions Wali Commentary”
- Audience benefit: fresh perspective
- Format difference: slower pace, deeper discussion, more cricket insight
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