Former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar talked about how Rishabh Pant’s struggles in the white-ball format come from trying to play behind the stumps instead of focusing on his strengths down the ground. Pant has been having a rough IPL 2025 season, scoring just 128 runs in 11 matches, with only one half-century to show for it. His poor performance with Lucknow Super Giants has led to some on-field frustration.
Bangar pointed out that Pant’s recent drop in form is tied to his shot selection, as he often attempts to play in unconventional ways behind the stumps, leading to early outs in games. He’s still figuring out the white-ball game, both in T20 and 50-over formats,” Bangar said. “He’s a fantastic Test player, but this season, I noticed he got out a lot while trying to play shots behind the wicket.”
He emphasized that Pant’s best innings have come from driving the ball through covers or going over midwicket, not from playing reverse sweeps or fine shots. Bangar believes Pant may have gotten confused, forgetting that his strongest performance comes when he focuses on scoring down the ground.
In LSG’s last match against the Punjab Kings, Pant came in at No. 4 but only managed 18 runs off 17 balls while chasing a big target and LSG lost by 37 runs, sitting seventh on the points table.
“If he looks to score down the ground, it opens up other scoring areas. If he only focuses on shots behind him, he’ll be late on anything in front,” Bangar said.
Former Indian cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu also weighed in, suggesting that Pant needs to return to the basics and rethink his shot choices. “Rishabh’s problem is his shot selection. You can’t always hit your way out of trouble. Maybe pressure from his reputation is holding him back, and you can see his frustration. As a captain, when he loses his cool, it gives the opposition an edge. Look at Dhoni – he stays calm and doesn’t show anything. Pant needs to adjust his mindset, especially regarding shot selection,” Sidhu noted.