Rishabh Pant's nightmare season sinks LSG further as Rs 27 crore gamble goes wrong

When Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) broke the bank and made Rishabh Pant the most expensive player in IPL history at Rs 27 crore, expectations were sky-high. Fast forward to the business end of the IPL 2025 season, and Pant’s form has become one of the biggest talking points for all the wrong reasons.

After 11 innings, the LSG skipper has managed just 128 runs at a strike rate of 99.22, a shocking statistic, especially in a T20 league where impact is everything. For such a huge investment, LSG expected leadership, firepower, and match-winning knocks. So far, Pant has provided none.

Rishabh Pant’s form sinks LSG playoff hopes

In Sunday’s high-stakes clash against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Dharamsala, Pant once again failed to deliver. He scored a scratchy 18 off 17 balls, a knock that ended in comical fashion. He lost the grip on his bat mid-swing and gifted an easy catch to Shashank Singh at deep point.

LSG eventually lost the game by 37 runs. The moment summed up both Pant’s personal form and LSG’s campaign this year. Lucknow are now on the brink of elimination with 10 points in 11 matches. For a spot in the playoffs, they will need more than just wins, a Net Run Rate (NRR) miracle.

“The dream is still alive. If we can win the next three matches, we can definitely turn around and do amazing things,” Pant said when asked about his team’s playoff chances in IPL 2025 after the loss against PBKS.

Only player with sub-100 strike rate among 70 batters

Out of 70 batters who have faced at least 60 balls in IPL 2025, Pant is the only one with a strike rate below 100. The only good innings Pant has played this season was when he scored 63 runs off 49 balls against the Chennai Super Kings. LSG lost that game by 5 wickets thanks to MS Dhoni’s explosive knock.

To make matters worse, Pant played a desperate shot off Azmatullah Omarzai’s bowling during the match against PBKS at a time when his team needed a crucial partnership. That was not a shot expected from a captain whose team was trying to rebuild after a batting collapse.

While Pant maintains that their “dream” for a playoff spot is still alive, the reality is that even if LSG win their remaining three matches, their poor net run rate could leave them short in the end. It is time for Pant to step up and turn things around both for himself and his team.