Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant has endured a disappointing run with the bat in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). Pant has registered six single-digit scores for 110 runs in 10 matches, with his 63 against Chennai Super Kings being the only performance of note.
On Sunday, the LSG captain Pant perished for a mere four, trying to reverse sweep Mumbai Indians’ part-time spinner Will Jacks.
When asked about his form in the post-match presentation, Pant defended his current form.
“In a season like this, where things are not going your way, you’re going to start questioning yourself as a player — that’s not something you want to do,” he said.
“When the team is doing well, you’ve got to think about that. It’s a team game.
“Every time you single out an individual, it’s not the right thing to do, I guess.”
Pant was bought for a whopping Rs 27 crore — the most expensive purchase in IPL auction history — and it looks like the pressure of the big paycheque is affecting his performance. However, LSG’s team mentor Zaheer Khan dismissed the theory.
Who’s that IPL player?
“He is a leader, and he has been fantastic as a leader; that’s something which I can vouch for,” Zaheer Khan said at the post-match press conference.
“As a leader, he is ticking all the boxes. As a batter, the middle order is dependent on Rishabh, and I am very confident that the impact which we want from him will come. It’s just about something clicking,” Zaheer said.
