As the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) top three crumbled against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 match on Sunday, expectations were high from Rishabh Pant to stand up and deliver for his team. The wicket-keeper batter, bought for INR 27 crore in the mega auction, hasn’t produced a single meaningful knock this campaign, and the match against Punjab was no different. As Pant endures another frustrating outing for Lucknow in the IPL, former India opening batter Virender Sehwag has advised him to give a call to someone like Dhoni, express what is burning inside him.
Giving his honest opinion on Pant’s poor run of form, Pant advised the wicket-keeper batter to call someone he confides in, be it Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni or someone else he can have a heart-to-heart conversation with.
“He has a phone, so he should call whoever he deems necessary. MS Dhoni is his role model, he can call him. Sometimes, there’s a lot going on in your mind, sharing with someone you have a rapport with, helps,” Sehwag said in a chat on Cricbuzz.
Sehwag also shared his own experience, having gone through similar rough patches in his career. It was then that India great Rahul Dravid had asked him to never ditch his routine, no matter what goes on the field.
“When I was dropped from the Indian team for not making enough runs in 2006-07, Rahul Dravid had advised me to go back and check my routine. Every player goes through different phases in his career but what he shouldn’t ditch is the routine he follows. Whether it is practicing in the nets, running, sleeping or gymming, that routine should continue. This is what Rishabh needs to analyse, what exactly is missing. When you don’t make runs, you become negative. If he is not in a good mindspace, he has several players to talk to,” he added.
“I think Rishabh Pant should go back and see his old batting videos in IPL. That gives you confidence of how you used to build your innings, how you used to play your shots,” the former India opener asserted.
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