Rishabh Pant’s frustrations were visible when he was made to wait endlessly to bat for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) during their IPL 2025 clash against Delhi Capitals. While many read his animated chat with mentor Zaheer Khan as anger, it also reflected the batter’s eagerness to stage a comeback. Coming in at No.7 against DC and getting dismissed for a duck against his former side only added to his string of failures this season.
Nine matches, 106 runs – not the returns expected from the most expensive player in IPL history. But Pant’s struggle screamed a clear message: “Send him higher up the order.”
When Nicholas Pooran departed in the 12th over vs DC, with LSG comfortably placed at 99 for 2, the moment seemed perfectly set for skipper Rishabh Pant to take charge.
Instead, to the surprise of many, Abdul Samad strode out. The unexpected moves didn’t stop there. Just an over later, Mukesh Kumar ripped through the middle order, removing Samad and Mitchell Marsh to drag Delhi back into the contest.
Yet, Pant stayed rooted in the dugout. David Miller and Ayush Badoni were sent in ahead of him, adding another layer of mystery to LSG’s increasingly curious batting order.
Speaking to Star Sports, former India cricketer and coach Sanjay Bangar highlighted the need for Pant to bat higher for both his sake and that of the team.
“I’m a little surprised, to be honest. We were discussing why he isn’t batting at the top. He starts well against pace and can really open up against spin. Right now, he’s frustrated moving down the order,” Bangar said.
“He’s at his best when hitting down the ground. Once he looks to go behind square, that’s when he struggles. Hitting straight keeps him in his zone.”
