Former India batter Saba Karim believes Rishabh Pant’s recent struggles in the IPL come from one key issue: the Lucknow Super Giants captain has not yet found the right batting “template” for white-ball cricket. That concern was highlighted again on Thursday, when Pant fell for a three-ball duck against the Rajasthan Royals, getting out while attempting to play across to Nandre Burger. After a difficult 269-run campaign last year, which featured only one hundred and one half-century, his current season with LSG appears to be moving in the same direction, if not worse.
Karim’s view: the missing template for T20 and white-ball cricket
Karim said that even with years of exposure to limited-overs cricket—covering domestic, IPL and international settings—Pant still has not worked out a consistent approach that fits the shorter formats. He framed the problem as one of process rather than talent, arguing that a modern T20 batter must create and trust their own game plan.
- Karim said a modern T20 batter needs to develop their own template for batting.
- He pointed to examples like Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar, suggesting that even when someone like Patidar walks in on a particular kind of track, there is usually clarity in their mind about how they intend to play the big shots.
- According to Karim, Pant’s difficulty is that he has not yet found that template for white-ball cricket—only in T20s, but also in one-day internationals.
- Karim added that Pant’s thought process in Test cricket appears more transparent to him, and that preparation seems clearer there than in white-ball matches.
How Pant’s IPL season is unfolding with LSG
The criticism comes as Pant’s IPL numbers continue to lag this season. LSG have not had a strong run, winning just twice and losing five times, leaving them placed ninth on the points table. With that standing, their chances of reaching the playoffs are described as slim.
- LSG’s record so far: two wins and five losses.
- Table position: ninth.
- Playoff qualification prospects: low.
- Pant’s returns in the ongoing season: 147 runs in seven innings.
- Batting average: 24.50.
- Strike rate: 132.43.
- Fifties: one.
- Highest score: 68*.
In the match that brought Karim’s comments back into focus, Pant’s struggles continued when he was dismissed after facing just three balls while trying to play across against Nandre Burger in the contest versus Rajasthan Royals on Thursday.
From IPL 2018 brilliance to uneven white-ball international output
Karim also referenced Pant’s rise, highlighting that the wicketkeeper-batter’s breakthrough came with a spectacular IPL 2018. That season, Pant scored 684 runs in 14 innings at an average of 52.61 and a strike rate above 173, including a century and five fifties. However, the former India batter’s strong IPL form has not consistently translated into international success in white-ball cricket.
- IPL 2018 impact: 684 runs in 14 innings, average 52.61, strike rate over 173.
- Milestones in IPL 2018: one century and five fifties.
- International T20 record: 1,209 runs in 76 T20Is across 66 innings, average 23.25, strike rate over 127.
- T20 scoring frequency: three fifties in total.
- International ODI record: 871 runs in 31 ODIs across 27 innings, average 33.50, strike rate over 106.
- ODI milestones: one century and five fifties.
- Last appearance in white-ball formats for India: the 2024 tour of Sri Lanka.
Where India’s wicketkeeper-batter options have gone since
Karim noted that since Pant last featured regularly in India’s white-ball set-up, the team has seen different choices. KL Rahul has strengthened his place in ODIs, while Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have taken over wicketkeeper-batter roles after a standout T20 World Cup. Samson, in particular, received the “Player of the Tournament” award, backed by three half-centuries—starting with the virtual quarter-final against the West Indies and culminating in the final against New Zealand—where he scored 321 runs across the competition.
Why Pant’s Test record remains a separate story
Despite the concerns around white-ball cricket, Karim pointed out that Pant has been exceptional in Test matches. In Tests, he has accumulated 3,476 runs in 49 matches and 86 innings, averaging 42.91 with a strike rate of 74.24. His Test output includes eight centuries and 18 fifties, along with multiple high-impact innings across different continents and playing conditions.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
