Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu has weighed in on Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant’s struggles in the IPL 2025. He thinks Pant’s choice of shots and his mindset are really holding him back and affecting both his performance and the team’s chances of making the playoffs. Lucknow has only won five out of 11 matches and with a negative run rate, their playoff hopes are looking pretty slim. A loss at home could end their season.
Sidhu mentioned during a discussion, Rishabh Pant’s shot selection is the problem. You can’t just hit your way out of trouble. He suggested that Pant might be feeling the pressure of his reputation, which could be adding to his stress. His frustration is evident, and as captain, he sometimes loses his temper, which gives the other team an advantage.
He compared Pant to the calm and collected MS Dhoni, emphasizing how important it is to stay cool under pressure. Dhoni is always calm and keeps a straight face. Pant needs to get back to basics and work on his mindset, especially when it comes to shot selection.
Pant, who was purchased for a record Rs 27 crore, was expected to lead LSG to success this season. With a team that includes stars like Nicholas Pooran and David Miller, the expectations were really high. For owner Sanjiv Goenka, Pant was meant to be the face of the franchise, alongside legends like Rohit Sharma and Dhoni.
But six months later, things aren’t looking good. Pant has struggled all season, only scoring 128 runs in 11 matches. He’s batted in various positions, but nothing has helped. His highest score is just 63, which stands out in a tough season for him. In one match, his frustration was clear after being moved down the batting order, leading to a tense moment with mentor Zaheer Khan that was caught on camera.
Right now, LSG is sitting in seventh place on the points table. Even if they win all their remaining matches, their poor run rate could keep them from the playoffs. Sidhu pointed out, Winning all their matches might not be enough because their run rate is holding them back.
