Rishabh Pant, one of the costliest players in the IPL 2025 auction at Rs 27 crore, drew sharp criticism on Tuesday after his puzzling decision to bat at No.7 during Lucknow Super Giants' (LSG) eight-wicket defeat to Delhi Capitals (DC). Pant walked in with only two balls remaining in the innings and was dismissed for a duck, leaving fans and experts baffled over the logic behind his late arrival at the crease. Batting first, LSG could only post 159 for 6. The decision to promote Abdul Samad, who managed just 2 runs off 8 balls, further backfired, and raised questions about the team’s tactical planning and leadership under Pant.
“The idea was to like capitalise. We sent Samad to capitalise on a wicket like that. After that Miller came in and we just got stuck,” Pant said at the post-match presentation, offering an explanation that lacked clarity and conviction. “Eventually, these are the things we've got to figure out and try to find our best combination going forward.” Pant attributed much of the team’s struggle to the Lucknow pitch and the toss. According to him, batting first on this surface put LSG at a disadvantage. “We knew we were 20 runs short. Toss played a big part. Whoever bowls first gets a lot of help. It always happens in Lucknow, the wicket gets better and better to bat on. That’s how the game goes, and you can’t be complaining. Yes, toss is playing a huge part, but we are not looking for excuses,” he added.
Another point of confusion was LSG’s use of the Impact Player rule. Pant explained that they are experimenting by “impacting” Ayush Badoni to give pacer Mayank Yadav more game time. “That is one idea, trying to get him early in the season. He came from the NCA, just trying to fit him in,” Pant said. While LSG were struggling with indecision and poor execution, Delhi Capitals, under the leadership of Axar Patel, played a clinical game. DC chased down the target with ease, thanks to a solid bowling performance and Axar’s own contributions with bat and ball. “The way we started with the ball, we didn’t take wickets but were in control. Once we picked up two quick wickets, we got the momentum. All the bowlers did well to restrict them under 160,” said Axar.
Despite a slight injury, Axar bowled four straight overs, including three in the Powerplay, showing tactical intent and commitment. He also scored a quick 34 not out, smashing four sixes, sealing the win for DC. “I always play to my strengths. Doesn’t matter which position I’m batting. If I line up a bowler well, I go for it. That’s what I did and it worked,” Axar added.
With this dominant performance, Delhi Capitals continue to build strong momentum mid-season. Meanwhile, LSG’s leadership group, especially Pant, will need to reassess strategies and roles before the pressure intensifies further. The awkward decisions, underwhelming performance, and increasing scrutiny following Pant’s record price tag are starting to mount. As the IPL 2025 season reaches a critical stage, questions loom large over LSG’s direction. Can they recover from tactical misfires? Or will this campaign unravel further under the weight of expectations?
