Table of Contents
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant’s batting struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 continued unabated on Sunday, prompting candid advice from former India opener Virender Sehwag after another disappointing performance in a crucial match against Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala.
Rishabh Pant’s struggle with the bat continues
Pant, once considered the heir apparent to the legendary MS Dhoni, is enduring a torrid season with the bat, a shadow of the explosive form that has defined his career. His latest failure came during LSG’s challenging pursuit of PBKS’ formidable 237-run target. Pant could only muster 18 runs off 17 deliveries before a bizarre dismissal saw his bat fly out of his hands as he attempted a powerful slog, with the ball comfortably caught in the deep. The moment, a blend of the comical and the calamitous, perfectly encapsulated his difficult patch.
The statistics for IPL 2025 paint a grim picture for the LSG skipper. Across 11 matches, Pant has accumulated a mere 128 runs at a concerning average of 12.80 and a strike rate languishing below 100. He has reached double digits in only four innings, with just a solitary half-century to his name. His inability to either build an innings or provide the much-needed acceleration has become a significant burden for LSG, who now find themselves in a precarious must-win situation for their remaining league fixtures to harbour any hopes of making the playoffs.
Virender Sehwag comes up with a piece of advice for Rishabh Pant
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Sehwag offered a pointed assessment of Pant’s form and suggested a path for the young wicketkeeper-batsman to rediscover his touch. “According to me, he should watch videos of himself batting when he used to make runs in the IPL. You get confidence from watching that; you remember how you used to go about your innings. Sometimes what happens is that you deviate from your routine. This is a different Rishabh Pant we are seeing after his injury,” Sehwag observed, hinting at a potential disconnect from his earlier successful methods.
Also WATCH: Preity Zinta goes wow as Shashank Singh sends ball out of Dharamsala stadium – IPL 2025, PBKS vs LSG
However, Sehwag’s most striking piece of advice was for Pant to reach out to his revered mentor and idol, MS Dhoni. “He has a phone. He can pick that up and call whomever he wants. If he feels that mentally he is not thinking right, then there are so many cricketers that can help him. If he considers Dhoni as his role model, then he should talk to him,” Sehwag emphasized, suggesting that a conversation with the seasoned campaigner could provide the mental clarity Pant seems to be lacking.
Pant’s prolonged slump has had a tangible impact beyond his individual performance, significantly hindering LSG’s campaign. The team’s top order has struggled for consistency, and Pant’s inability to contribute substantially in the middle overs has left the batting unit exposed and vulnerable.
For a player acquired for a staggering ₹27 crore at the last mega auction and once widely regarded as the future of Indian cricket, Pant’s current form is both shocking and a cause for concern.
