Why Rishabh Pant Has Had a Disastrous Run in IPL 2025? Here’s a Complete Breakdown

Rishabh Pant is one of the brightest stars in Indian cricket. The wicket-keeper batter emerged has the highest-paid player in the history of the Indian Premier League when Lucknow Super Giants acquired his services for a whopping INR 27 crore. However, his performance this season has been underwhelming, raising questions about his form and role within the team.

What has happened to Rishabh Pant?

Rishabh Pant entered the Tata IPL 2025 with high hopes and lots of expectations. However, his performance this season has been below par. Playing for Lucknow Super Giants, he has managed 110 runs in 10 matches at a poor average of 12.22 and a ridiculous strike rate of 98.21. His highest score has been 63 against CSK, but the southpaw has struggled with consistency, recording multiple single-digit scores, including two ducks against his former franchise, Delhi Capitals.

Here’s a closer look at Pant’s individual scores this season, which reveals a pattern of inconsistency:

Match 1: 0 runs vs DC

Match 2: 15 runs vs SRH

Match 3: 2 runs vs PBKS

Match 4: 2 runs vs MI

Match 5: Did Not Bat vs KKR

Match 6: 21 runs vs GT

Match 7: 63 runs vs CSK

Match 8: 3 runs vs RR

Match 9: 0 runs vs DC

Match 10: 4 runs vs MI

Factors Contributing to Pant’s Struggles

Here are some factors that have made a massive impact on Rishabh Pant’s lackluster form. Let’s talk about them in detail.

Pressure of Expectations

A whopping amount of INR 27 crore is a lot of money. Being the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League in itself is a massive pressure. With the price tag he has, fans and his franchise have a lot of expectations of him, which could be a reason for his underperformance this season. ​

Batting Position and Role Clarity

Pant’s batting position has varied, and he has often batted lower in the order. Cricket experts, including Sanjay Bangar, have suggested that Pant should open the batting to utilize his aggressive style effectively. However, the dilemma here is, should Pant open the batting, considering how Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh have made the opening slot their own? Well, the coaching staff and the captain himself should not tinker with the opening slot, especially after how the overseas duo has performed.​

Lack of Match Practice

One of the biggest reasons for Pant’s failure this season is the lack of match practice. Rishabh Pant had an ordinary 2024 and the start of 2025. He was picked in the victorious Indian squad for the Champions Trophy but couldn’t get a game in the entire tournament.​ After CT 2025, Pant made his way directly into this marquee event, and his struggles are clearly visible to one and all. You can’t play a competitive match at this level without any match practice, and this is something that has haunted Pant now.

Team Dynamics and Strategy

Rishabh Pant is new to the Lucknow Super Giants. He played his entire IPL for the Delhi Capitals, but this time around, the left-hander had to deal with a new franchise, new support staff, and, of course, new teammates. Whenever you enter a new franchise, you have to deal with all this stuff, and Pant is probably feeling the heat. With the team composition allowing three overseas batters at the top and Pant at 4, the wicket-keeper might be feeling the heat of not being the center of attraction, despite being the highest-paid player in the history of the league.

Captaincy burden

The captaincy burden is another factor in Pant’s underperformance. When you are already feeling the heat of being the highest-paid player, you are given the added responsibility of leading a side that had an underwhelming show in the last season. Captaincy is always a responsibility, and it’s something that either makes or breaks a player. With his current performance, it seems like captaincy isn’t doing any good for Pant the batter.

What’s the Road Ahead for Rishabh Pant and LSG?

Rishabh Pant’s batting form will be a hot topic in the remainder of the Tata IPL 2025. However, if his leadership skills take LSG into the top 4 and eventually help the team lift the elusive trophy, the criticism around the southpaw will take a pause for good. As of now, LSG stands 6th on the points table with 5 wins and losses from 10 matches. They are left with four more games this season and need to win at least 3 of them to make it to the playoffs.