Lucknow Super Giants’ skipper Rishabh Pant didn’t quite match what people hoped during IPL 2025. Across 14 games, his bat produced 269 runs, racing along at 133.16 per hundred balls. Most of the season saw him below triple digits in strike speed. Then came the last group stage clash with Royal Challengers Bengaluru – his century there lifted everything higher.
Next year could define everything for the player. Picked up at 27 crore rupees, results haven’t matched expectations so far. Another poor run might push selectors toward different choices. Still, Pant prefers focusing on performance instead of possibilities. Still, his batting position remains uncertain. Before, reports suggested Pant would take spot number three. Yet, just before the first clash with Delhi, coach Justin Langer stayed silent on the matter. He simply said the answer would show up when play began
“I’m not telling you. Well, the truth is, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you where Rishabh Pant’s gonna bat tomorrow. I appreciate you asking, but if you want a straight answer, I’m not telling you where he’s gonna bat tomorrow because then DC knows where he’s gonna bat, and then they’ll have to deal with it tonight, not tomorrow at 7:30. Thanks for asking, though, you’ll wait and see like everyone else,” said Langer in the press conference.
Three holds the pant
Struggling through the batting lineup earlier that season, Pant moved up to position three for the last group match versus RCB. Right away he clicked, smashing 118 not out from just 63 deliveries. That shift nudged Nicholas Pooran down to spot four, even though his form had stayed strong all along.
This time around, maybe things go just like before. Opening might fall to Aiden Markram alongside Mitchell Marsh. Then comes Pant, stepping in at number three. After him, Pooran takes the stage at four.
