Rishabh Pant finally gave Lucknow Super Giants something to cheer about on Thursday night, remaining unbeaten on 32 off 10 balls as LSG edged Royal Challengers Bengaluru by nine runs via the DLS method in Lucknow in match 49 of IPL 2026. While Mitchell Marsh’s blistering 111 and Nicholas Pooran’s 38 powered LSG to 209 for 3, Pant’s late cameo provided the finishing touch in a much-needed win for a side whose IPL 2026 campaign has otherwise spiralled badly.Yet, even amid the relief of snapping a six-match winless streak, Pant’s season has been wobbly at best and in many ways akin to his career trajectory over the last few years – flashes of brilliance mixed with prolonged inconsistency.Pant arrived in the IPL in 2016 carrying the reputation of a fearless six-hitter destined to dominate T20 cricket. Back then, there were far more doubts about whether his aggressive style would survive 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, producing unforgettable knocks overseas and redefining the role of a wicketkeeper-batter in the longest format. But in white-ball cricket, especially T20s, inconsistency has increasingly become a concern.
Rishabh Pant’s declining T20 numbers
His breakthrough IPL season came in 2018 when he dismantled bowling attacks 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 fifties. It was the kind of 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 again. Ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Lucknow Super Giants bought him for a staggering 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. Although Thursday’s win kept their slim playoff hopes alive, Pant’s own form has mirrored the team’s decline for most 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 batter once known for his explosive strokeplay, the numbers underline a sharp dip in impact. He has hit only 23 fours and nine sixes, while his lone half-century came in a scratchy, unbeaten 68 against Sunrisers Hyderabad.
How Rishabh Pant’s white-ball career lost momentum
Even in innings where Pant has hinted at rediscovering his touch, he has struggled to convert starts into match-winning knocks. During LSG’s daunting 255-run chase against Punjab Kings, Pant smashed four sixes, including two remarkable one-handed blows, before his innings stalled at a crucial stage and ended at 43 off 23 balls. Against Kolkata Knight Riders, he made 42 off 38 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.The dip in form is not entirely new. Last season, Pant scored 269 runs in 14 matches, with 118 of those coming in a dead rubber against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final league game. Since the start of 2024, he has averaged just 24.89 at a strike rate of 131.02 across 22 IPL innings.This season alone, Pant has batted in three different positions for LSG – opener, No. 3 and No. 4 – reflecting the uncertainty around both his role and form.His struggles in franchise cricket have also coincided with a dip 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 over 127, with only three half-centuries. His ODI numbers are better – 871 runs in 31 matches at an average of 33.50 – but he has not played white-ball cricket for India since the 2024 Sri Lanka tour.Since then, KL Rahul has strengthened his place in India’s ODI side, while Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson have moved ahead in the T20 pecking order. Samson, in particular, cemented his position after a sensational T20 World Cup campaign in which he scored 321 runs and won the Player of the Tournament award.
Irfan Pathan on Pant’s poor form and captaincy pressure
Former India all-rounder and JioHotstar expert Irfan Pathan admitted that Pant’s struggles over the last couple of seasons have been disappointing, especially considering the expectations surrounding him as both player and captain.“I think when he became captain, I had high hopes from him as a cricketer as well as a leader. Unfortunately, he has not delivered and things have not worked out for him over the last couple of seasons,” Irfan said during a media interaction.“As far as pressure is concerned, especially regarding the possibility of him getting dropped from the ODI team, we will only know once this IPL is finished. He still has a few games left to return to form and win matches,” he added.Irfan also pointed out that marquee players are expected to single-handedly change games, something Pant has struggled to do consistently for LSG despite the enormous expectations attached to him.“When you are the main player, when a franchise spends that kind of money on you at the auction, they expect performances that win games single-handedly. That is why you are the marquee player. But that has not happened with Rishabh Pant and he is under pressure,” he said.“But regarding the ODI squad, we will only know after the IPL ends. Who knows, he might come back and win two games from here, or his poor form may continue. Both scenarios are possible, but I don’t think selectors will take any decision before the end of the IPL season,” he added.The former India all-rounder also addressed the growing debate around Pant’s captaincy and whether LSG should eventually look at alternative leadership options.“Every player will be under pressure whenever performances are not coming. About leadership, I personally feel that if you have Indian options in the playing XI, then you should move towards them,” Irfan explained.“Midway through the season, taking such a decision becomes very difficult. It is not like it has never happened before. Mumbai Indians did it when they replaced Ricky Ponting with Rohit Sharma, and Rohit then continued as captain for many years. So the question is whether LSG have an Indian option who can lead for the next few years, at least until the next mega auction. For that, clarity from the management and communication with Pant are both very important,” he added.Apart from analysing Pant’s struggles, Irfan also spoke about his experience on JioHotstar’s “Champions Wali Commentary”, a dedicated Hindi digital feed featuring former IPL champions.“I am really enjoying it and viewers are also getting a fresh perspective. In regular commentary, things move very fast, but the Champions Wali feed moves at its own pace with deeper discussions and more cricket knowledge,” he said.