Rishabh Pant Lucknow Supergiants finally gave something to cheer about on Thursday night, not out for 32 off 10 balls as LSG defeated Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine runs in the 49th match of IPL 2026 in Lucknow via the DLS method. While Mitchell Marsh’s 111 and Nicolas Pooran’s 38 took LSG to 209 for 3, Pant’s late cameo provided the finishing touch to a much-needed win for a team that needed a win. IPL The 2026 campaign has otherwise spread badly.Still, even amid the relief of snapping a six-match winless streak, Pant’s season has been excellent and in many ways has matched his career trajectory over the past few years – flashes of brilliance mixed with prolonged inconsistency.Pant came into the IPL in 2016 with a reputation as a fearless six-hitter aiming to dominate T20 cricket. At the time, there were many doubts about whether his aggressive style would meet the demands of Test cricket. A decade later, however, the script has flipped dramatically.Today, Pant is regarded as one of India’s greatest match-winners in Test cricket, having scored unforgettable knocks overseas and redefining the role of the wicket-keeper batsman in the longest format. But in white-ball cricket, especially in T20s, inconsistency is becoming a concern.
Rishabh Pant’s T20 numbers drop
His breakout IPL season came in 2018 when he anchored the bowling attack for Delhi Capitals, scoring 684 runs in 14 innings at an average of 52.61 and a strike rate above 173, including a century and five half-centuries. It was the season that convinced many that Indian cricket had found its next great T20 superstar.But despite occasional flashes over the years, Pant has never crossed the 500-run mark in an IPL season. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Lucknow Supergiants bought him for Rs 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history.The struggles have become even more evident in IPL 2026, with LSG enduring a disastrous campaign. While Thursday’s win kept their slim playoff hopes alive, Pant’s own form has mirrored the team’s decline for much of the season.In ten matches this season, Pant has scored 236 runs at an average of 29.50 and a strike rate of 139.64. For a batsman once known for his explosive stroke play, the numbers show a sharp decline in effectiveness. He has hit just 23 fours and nine sixes, while his only half-century came thanks to an unbeaten 68 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
How Rishabh Pant’s white-ball career lost momentum.
Even in innings where Pant has shown signs of rediscovering his touch, he has struggled to convert starts into match-winning innings. During LSG’s daunting chase of 255 against Punjab Kings, Pant hit four sixes, including two remarkable one-handed hits, before his innings stalled at a crucial stage and ended on 43 off 23 balls. Against Kolkata Knight Riders, he scored 42 off 38 balls in a modest chase but failed to accelerate as LSG collapsed from 78 for 3 to 148 for 8 before losing in the Super Over.Dive into form isn’t exactly new. Last season, Pant scored 269 runs in 14 matches, 118 of which came in the dead rubber against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the last league game. Since the start of 2024, he has averaged just 24.89 at a strike rate of 131.02 in 22 IPL innings.This season, Pant has batted in three different positions for LSG – opener, No.3 and No.4 – reflecting the uncertainty surrounding both his role and form.His struggles in franchise cricket have also coincided with a decline in India’s white-ball setup. In 76 T20Is, Pant has scored 1,209 runs at an average of 23.25 and a strike rate of just 127 with just three fifties. His ODI numbers are better – 871 runs at 33.50 in 31 matches – but he has not played white-ball cricket for India since the 2024 tour of Sri Lanka.Since then, KL Rahul has cemented his place in India’s ODI team, while Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have moved up the T20 pecking order. Samson, in particular, cemented his position after a sensational T20 World Cup campaign in which he scored 321 runs and was named Player of the Tournament.
Irfan Pathan on Pant’s poor form and captaincy pressure
Former India all-rounder and GeoHotstar expert Irfan Pathan admitted that Pant’s struggles over the past two seasons have been disappointing, especially considering the expectations surrounding him both as a player and captain.“I think when he became captain, I had high expectations from him as a cricketer as well as a leader. Unfortunately, he has not delivered and things have not worked out for him in the last two seasons,” Irfan said while interacting with the media.“As far as pressure is concerned, especially the possibility of him being dropped from the ODI team, we will know that only after the IPL is over,” he added.Irfan also pointed out that marquee players are expected to single-handedly change games, something Pant has consistently struggled to do despite high expectations for LSG.“When you are a key player, when a franchise spends that kind of money on you in the auction, they expect a performance that alone wins games. That’s why you are a marquee player. But that has not happened with Rishabh Pant and he is under pressure,” he said.“But about the ODI squad, we will know only after the IPL is over. Who knows, he may come back and win two matches, or his poor form may continue. Both scenarios are possible, but I don’t think the selectors will take a decision before the end of the IPL season.” He added.The former India all-rounder also addressed the growing debate surrounding Pant’s captaincy and whether LSG should finally consider alternative leadership options.Irfan explained that whenever the performance is not coming, every player will be under pressure. Regarding leadership, I personally feel that if you have Indian options in the playing XI, you should go for them.“In the middle of the season, it becomes very difficult to take such a decision. It’s not that it has never happened before. Mumbai Indians did it when they replaced Ricky Ponting with Rohit Sharma, and Rohit was the captain for many years after that. So the question is, does LSG have an Indian option to lead the way for the next few years, at least until the next mega auction? For this both clarification from the management and interaction with Pant are very important.Apart from analyzing Pant’s struggles, Irfan also spoke about his experience on JioHotstar’s “Commentary with Champions”, a dedicated Hindi digital feed featuring former IPL champions.“I’m really enjoying it and the viewers are also getting a new perspective. In regular commentary things move too fast, but the Champions Wali feed moves at its own pace with deep conversations and cricketing knowledge,” he said.
