Pressure Gets the Best of Pant as Record IPL Purchase Fails to Deliver Value

The pressure is intensifying on the high-profile Indian Premier League acquisition, Rishabh Pant, as the Lucknow Super Giants desperately require their leader to rediscover his exceptional form with the bat if they hope to stand any chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

Pant, the wicketkeeper-batsman, has struggled after Lucknow invested $3.21 million in him during the November auction, managing only 128 runs across 10 innings in this year’s IPL season.

In spite of Pant’s fame as an aggressive left-handed batsman capable of dismantling even the strongest bowling attacks, the 27-year-old has managed just one notable innings so far, scoring 63 runs against Chennai Super Kings on April 14.

His typical contagious zest for life has abandoned him now that his scores have dwindled, and once more he was easily dismissed on Sunday. making just 18 as Lucknow lost by 37 runs to Punjab Kings .

Adam Gilchrist, the ex-Australian wicketkeeper-batsman, stated on the website, "As I watch him, it seems like he doesn’t find joy in his cricket anymore. This time we have not witnessed him smiling, laughing, being cheerful, or at ease." Cricbuzz.com .

Perhaps it is the duty of the leadership role, taking on a new team with such a high price tag hanging above him.

"He just doesn’t seem to have that special something. There’s definitely a lack of excitement," he mentioned additionally.

Another loss for Pant and Lucknow against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday would likely dash their hopes of securing a spot in the top four and advancing to the playoffs.

Bidding war

Should Lucknow manage to win each of their last three games, they would still require favorable outcomes from other fixtures to secure a spot within the top four.

Pant has been compared to his idol MS Dhoni and the former Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag suggested that Pant might seek guidance and motivation from India’s World Cup-winning skipper.

"Sehwag suggested that Rishabh Pant might benefit from revisiting his past IPL match recordings. This could help him recall how he constructed his knocks and executed his strokes in earlier days. It’s easy to lose touch with our former techniques over time," he stated.

He looks up to Dhoni — perhaps he should reach out and have a chat with him.

Last year, Pant made a comeback to the IPL as the captain of Delhi Capitals following an accident in December 2022 where he nearly lost his life.

He made his return with a flourish, scoring 446 runs with an average of 40.55, yet Delhi failed to reach the playoffs, leading to their separation.

Back on the market, Pant was subject of a fierce bidding war before Lucknow got their man, breaking the previous record of $2.98 million paid for Mitchell Starc in 2023.

The Super Giants' mentor Justin Langer referred to Pant as a "team-lifting character."

Pant was a member of India’s victorious T20 World Cup team in 2024 but found himself out of favor as the preferred wicketkeeper for the 50-over Champions Trophy earlier this year.

Aaron Finch, who previously led Australia in limited-overs cricket, proposed that the pressure of handling three responsibilities—captaincy, batting, and wicketkeeping—might explain why Pant’s performance with the bat has declined.

"Leading a team while also keeping wickets is likely extremely challenging," Finch stated on JioHotstar.

"You only get a few seconds to talk to your bowlers, maybe 10 to 15 seconds between overs, especially with the over-rate clock running."

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