LSG break silence on whether Rishabh Pant is being ‘bogged down’ by INR 27 crore price tag

Rishabh Pant has scored just 189 runs in eight matches for LSG in the IPL 2026 season so far.

Updated on: May 3, 2026, 18:47:58 IST

Written by Vishesh Roy

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When Rishabh Pant joined Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) before the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, it was expected that the left-handed batter would set the stage on fire. Everyone is aware of the talent he possesses, hence it was no surprise to see the wicketkeeper-batter fetching INR 27 crore in the mega auction to become the costliest player in the history of the tournament. However, the association between LSG and Pant has not yielded results so far, with the franchise in danger of missing the playoffs in the IPL 2026 season as well.

Rishabh Pant has scored just 189 runs in eight matches for LSG (ANI Pic Service)

To make matters worse, Pant's form with the bat hasn't been great. Last year, he managed to surpass the 200-run mark only because of his century against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and this year, the runs have once again been hard to come by, with the batter managing just 189 runs in eight matches at an average of 27 and a strike rate of 149.

His only match-winning knock came against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, when he hit an unbeaten 68 to take his team over the line at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. Amid the barren run, Pant received support from LSG bowling coach Bharat Arun, who said that the skipper is not getting bogged down by the price tag and it's just a matter of one innings before he comes good.

Also Read: Rishabh Pant’s ‘too many minds’ remark ignites LSG dressing-room tension; blamed for ‘throwing management under bus’

“I don't think the price tag has anything to do with Rishabh Pant's form. If you really look at his batting, you look at the second game we played, he took us over the line. I wouldn't be too concerned with his form. It is just a question of one good innings and coming back into form," Arun told reporters in the pre-match press conference ahead of the match against the Mumbai Indians.

Lucknow Super Giants are currently tenth in the IPL 2026 standings with just two wins in eight matches. The franchise must win all of its remaining fixtures to have any chance of qualifying for the playoffs.

Pant's misfortunes

Pant began the IPL 2026 season as an opener, walking out to bat alongside Mitchell Marsh. However, the experiment lasted just one game, as he started batting at No. 3 in the next few games. However, Pant has failed to strike big and consistently move the scoreboard.

Pant's underwhelming season with the bat has coincided with the team's poor performance on the field. The wicketkeeper-batter has become a subject of discussion even more due to the lacklustre show by Nicholas Pooran, who is yet to even surpass the 100-run mark in eight matches for the franchise this season.

The only bright spots for LSG in IPL 2026 have been the pacers Mohammed Shami, Mohsin Khan and Prince Yadav. However, the underperforming batters have led to the downfall of the franchise and the team is languishing at the bottom of the points table.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vishesh Roy
Vishesh Roy is a sports journalist with a strong focus on cricket. He began his career at Asian News International (ANI), where he covered a range of high-profile events, including the India Open, Legends Cricket League, the England–India Test series in Ahmedabad in 2021, and the inauguration of the Narendra Modi Stadium. During his tenure at ANI, he also reported extensively on domestic cricket, covering several Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy matches across the country. While cricket remains his primary beat, Vishesh has also reported on tennis, football and WWE. After a stint of over three years at ANI, Vishesh moved to NDTV, where he gained hands-on experience in digital-first journalism, with a particular emphasis on live blogs and real-time news reporting. He joined Hindustan Times in October 2024 and quickly established himself with a series of exclusive interviews and source-driven stories. Ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Hindustan Times was the first to report that the two-day event would be held in Saudi Arabia. In the early months of his tenure, Vishesh secured interviews with leading cricketers, including Pat Cummins, Shreyas Iyer, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rashid Latif. He has also closely tracked the rise of emerging talents such as Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Priyansh Arya by speaking to their current and childhood coaches. His background in on-field reporting has helped Hindustan Times Digital break exclusive stories on major developments, including Virat Kohli’s return to the Ranji and Vijay Hazare Trophy, IPL scheduling, and the T20 World Cup controversy involving Bangladesh and Pakistan.Read More

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