Rishabh Pant in action© BCCI
The ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had to be suspended due to increasing tensions between India and Pakistan. After the Match No.58 between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was abruptly called-off in Dharamsala, the BCCI issued a statement regarding the suspension of IPL by one week. Before the suspension, the teams were fighting for a position in the playoffs and the battle becoming more intense with every passing game. Lucknow Super Giants, who claimed only five wins after 11 games, are one of those sides who are all but out of the playoffs race.
Commenting on LSG’s situation, former India coach Sanjay Bangar slammed their skipper Rishabh Pant and stated that he is yet to find rhythm in white-ball cricket.
Pant was bought by LSG at a record price of Rs 27 crore but miserably failed to live up to the expectations. After 11 matches, Pant scored only 128 runs.
“We have to recognise that he’s still yet to totally understand the white-ball game – both formats, 50-over cricket as well as T20 cricket. A fabulous Test match batter, make no mistake about it, but here in this particular season, what I noticed is that he got out a number of times looking to play shots behind the wicket,” Bangar said on Star Sports.
“Now, you pull out the best innings of Rishabh – where has he looked to score the runs? Drives through covers, step down the track and try to hit the sightscreen or go over midwicket, square. But here he was trying to play those reverse sweeps or shots that are very fine. So as a batter, I think probably he just got caught in that confusion and forgot that his best game, or that he plays at his best, is when he’s looking to score down the ground,” he added.
Before the suspension, LSG’s last defeat came against Punjab Kings where they lost by 37 runs in Dharamsala. In the ongoing season, Pant will definitely look to improve and bounce back in the remaining games.
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