Rishabh Pant has made only 135 runs in 12 games with one fifty to his name in IPL 2025.
After a "nightmare" IPL 2025 season, former India cricketer Aakash Chopra thinks Rishabh Pant will need to reconsider his strategy in T20 cricket, missing a crucial chance to make a stronger case for a berth in India's T20I squad.
It was anticipated that Pant, who is not a regular in India's T20I team, would make an impression this season. However, after being purchased for an astounding Rs 27 crore in the mega auction, the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) only managed 135 runs in 12 games.
LSG's loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on Monday night eliminated them from the playoffs.
"Success might teach you a few things. Failures, however, truly change your mindset -- and often for good. He isn't a regular in the Indian T20 side, so this season was crucial. A chance to make a mark, to build a strong unit.
It hasn't gone that way. His own form has been inconsistent -- another lesson in itself. Does he stick to this approach in T20s or adapt? "When you're in a bad patch, it feels like nothing works. The nights seem longer, the days even more so. That's when you learn -- and bounce back. This has been a nightmare. The good thing about nightmares is that you eventually wake up,” Aakash Chopra told JioHotstar.
Varun Aaron, the former pacer for India, agreed with Chopra that Pant looked hesitant and needed to change his strategy in order to get back to his previous level of play.
"LSG were relying on him, especially in the middle order. Except for Marsh, nobody really scored. Pant looked tentative from the start and never really got going this season. It's a sign of a player out of form. A prime Pant would've launched that shot into the stands. Today, he chipped it straight to the bowler.
He's a quality player and will wake up. He just needs to adjust his approach slightly. This year, he hasn't scored behind square -- bowlers aren't letting him play those shots,” Aaron said.
LSG have two matches remaining in the league stage -- against Gujarat Titans on May 22 and Royal Challengers Bengaluru on May 27.