Rishabh Pant running out of time? Fading firepower deepens T20 worries amid IPL 2026 struggles

The explosiveness that once defined Rishabh Pant's batting has faded, and this season has only deepened that dip.

It’s rare to see a player dominate Test cricket with fearless batting yet struggle to replicate that approach in the shortest format. Somehow, that same intent deserts him in T20s, and he ends up looking like an ordinary batter trying too hard to make an impact

Rishabh Pant's form in IPL 2026 has once again put him under the scanner (PTI)

In this case, the batter is Rishabh Pant. The weight of the INR 27 crore price tag seems to be growing heavier on him with each passing game this season. While Pant has guided Lucknow Super Giants to two wins in three matches, his own form remains a concern for his team, as well as his hopes of returning to India’s T20I setup. Pant burst onto the scene with a breakthrough IPL in 2017, scoring 366 runs at a strike rate above 165, and followed it up with a stunning 2018, amassing 684 runs at over 173. Since then, that version of Pant has vanished somewhere.

The explosiveness that once defined his batting has faded, and this season has only deepened that dip. Even in the game against Sunrisers Hyderabad, where Pant remained unbeaten on 68, there was a sense of struggle. Chasing 157, LSG were pushed to the second-last ball, with Pant striking at just 136. It was a match-winning effort on paper, but far from the dominance he once brought to the crease.

In the first three matches of IPL 2026, Pant has scored 85 runs off 68 balls, with a strike rate of just 125. He is yet to clear the ropes even once this season, which only adds to the growing concern around his form.

Pant has already slipped out of India’s T20I plans and was overlooked for the 2026 T20 World Cup, despite being part of the title-winning squad in 2024. His stocks in the shortest format have taken a clear hit over the past few years, with inconsistency hurting his standing at the highest level. The 2024 IPL season had briefly revived his case. Pant scored 446 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate above 155, hitting three fifties and playing with far greater intent. He looked confident, took attacks head-on, and often finished games, which helped him stay in the mix for India’s T20 plans at the time.

But IPL 2025 saw that momentum fade quickly. He managed just 269 runs in 14 matches, striking in the low 130s, with only one half-century to show. Even though he registered a late hundred, it did little to mask an otherwise underwhelming campaign. Fluency was lacking, the impact was inconsistent, and he rarely dictated terms.

That fall has come at a cost. With competition growing and others stepping up, Pant’s struggles have only weakened his case further, eventually leading to his omission from the 2026 T20 World Cup squad. And now, with the way he has begun IPL 2026, things have only gone further downhill. Pant looks short of rhythm and confidence, and at a time when competition is at its fiercest, that dip is proving costly.

No place for Rishabh Pant in India's T20I set-up

India’s T20I batting order is already packed. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal are waiting in the wings, while Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have shown little sign of letting go of their spots. The rise of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has only added to the pressure, with calls growing louder to fast-track him into the national setup. All of it pushes Pant further down the pecking order.

Even in the wicketkeeper’s role, Samson and Ishan have surged ahead with strong World Cup performances. The middle order offers no breathing space either, with Tilak Varma and Shivam Dube repeatedly delivering in pressure situations. There’s simply no obvious slot left for Pant right now.

If this trend continues through IPL 2026, the consequences could be bigger. His value in the tournament itself may start to take a hit, and that INR 27 crore price tag could soon begin to look like a burden rather than a statement signing.