Rishabh Pant’s Rs 27 Crore Tag: Ex-India Star Reveals Impact on Performance

Rishabh Pant’s early tenure as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants has been rocky, with the team losing two of their first three matches this IPL season. His performance at the crease has also raised eyebrows, yielding scores of 0, 15, and 2. After a disappointing loss to the Punjab Kings, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had a stern conversation with Pant, reflecting the mounting pressure.

With a hefty price tag of Rs 27 crore, Pant’s acquisition made headlines as the most expensive in IPL history, but former India spinner Piyush Chawla believes the monetary burden isn’t affecting him. Chawla noted that despite the struggles, Pant isn’t one to let the price tag weigh him down, pointing instead to recent lack of form and elevated expectations following his absence from the Indian white-ball setup.

Chawla critiqued Pant’s approach at the crease, suggesting the wicketkeeper’s tendency to defend balls straight is detrimental in T20 and ODI formats. He stressed the importance of finding singles to ease pressure and enhance partnerships. As the Super Giants sit 6th in the points table, they face the Mumbai Indians next, hoping for a turnaround and a resurgence from their captain.