Former India cricketer Kris Srikkanth has advised Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant to take a break to get his thoughts back. This came after LSG was eliminated from IPL 2025 after a loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rishabh Pant made only 7 runs in the 6-wicket loss.

After losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets, LSG is no longer in the running for the playoffs; therefore, Srikkanth believes it's time for Pant to take a mental vacation and review his performance.

Pant, who paid a record Rs 27 crore to join LSG this season, has had difficulty meeting expectations. His poor batting performance throughout the competition hasn't lived up to his reputation as the costliest IPL player ever. Pant seems psychologically exhausted and urgently needs time away from the game, Srikkanth emphasized.

“I just want him to be left alone. They should say enough and just go and spend some time away. The season is over. Whatever they are planning for the next season — they have to change the core and bring in bowlers — they don’t have any bowlers on this team,” Srikkanth said on his YouTube channel.

LSG only has two matches left, against Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Srikkanth believes since those matches are of little value to LSG, they should instead plan for the long term.

He claimed that signing Pant might help LSG's future as well as India's national team, particularly with significant international games coming up.

Additionally, Srikkanth compared Pant's present difficulties to his own aggressive batting style throughout his playing career. Although Pant's style naturally involves taking risks, he noted that this season, his lack of rhythm and bad performance under duress had cost him dearly.

“Unfortunately, things are not going Rishabh Pant’s way. Even when captaining, be it bowling changes or field placements, he seems to be messing up in some form or the other. Things are not going his way. Even with the bat, he can just play freely and be bold, but he seems to be playing half-hearted shots with no clarity. Every game he is finding new ways to get dismissed. During my playing days, I used to invent ways to get dismissed, and Pant is doing worse than me. 30 years back I was like that; today he is finding new ways to get out — reverse-sweep, reverse-paddle, swinging wildly — all of it is happening,” said Srikkanth.

He has also struggled to secure a long-term position in India's white-ball squads over the last six months and has come under fire in Test matches. The IPL was supposed to be an opportunity for redemption, but instead it has brought attention to more serious problems with confidence and form.