Rishabh Pant is not having the best of times at the IPL 2025. As the skipper of Lucknow Super Giants, Rishabh Pant – the costliest player in the history of the IPL with a price tag of Rs 27 crore – has been a big flop so far. In the IPL 2025, Pant has scored 128 in 11 matches at an average of 12.80. He has just one half-century as Pant endures the worst IPL season since he started playing the league in 2016. The star wicketkeeper-batter’s recent outing for LSG against Punjab Kings ended in a 18-run knock. Former Australia star Adam Gilchrist, one of the most respected wicketkeeper-batter’s in the history of the game, had some interesting observations about the players.
“Watching him, you always feel that he enjoys his cricket. We haven’t seen that this time around. Haven’t seen him smiling, laughing, being jovial, being relaxed. Maybe it is the responsibility of the captaincy, coming into a new franchise with that highest price tag over his head,” Gilchrist said on Cricbuzz.
“I don’t see him being his true personality. People may say ‘well, hang on mate.’ His batting has been too carefree. I think there is a happy balance in his stroke-play and stroke selection. Don’t see the spark in him.
“Just don’t see that spark in him. I am just making this observation 10 or 11 games in. He’s one of the most enjoyable and entertaining cricketers to watch when his natural colour is coming through. He is a certain personality; he has a vibrant body language. Something is missing there, something is missing.”
Shaun Pollock agreed with Gilchrist. “I am trying to think what kind of explanation you can give to it. Is he a kind of guy who is more of a home boy? Enjoys the company of his fellow Indian players? Because he is surrounded by four international other batters. He doesn’t have a ‘mate’ if you want to put it that way. I don’t know who his mates will be. Will he thrive if says a Ajinkya Rahane or a Virat Kohli is in his team? I don’t know. I am just trying to pluck on theories here, because he doesn’t look to be in his normal self,” he said.
Former India opener Virender Sehwag believes Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant should approach his role model MS Dhoni to come out of the lean patch in the IPL 2025.
In Sunday’s match against the Punjab Kings, Pant came in at No. 4 following two early dismissals but managed only 18 runs off 17 balls while chasing a target of 237. LSG lost the game by 37 runs and now sit seventh on the points table with six defeats in 11 matches.
“Again, he does have a mobile, all he needs to pick up the phone and call someone. If you feel you are thinking negatively, there are so many cricketers you can discuss with. Dhoni is his role model, so he should call him. It will lighten him up,” Sehwag said.
With IANS inputs
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