The spotlight has once again landed on Rishabh Pant, but not for the right reasons. The Lucknow Super Giants' captain found himself in another debate after batting as low as No.7 in the clash against Delhi Capitals.
This move that left fans and experts scratching their heads. While the team suffered an eight-wicket drubbing, it was Pant’s strange choice that drew sharper criticism.
Cheteshwar Pujara was among the first to voice his opinions on the matter and said that Pant may be trying to play a role that doesn’t align with his strengths. Let’s take a closer look at what Pujara had to say.
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Why did Cheteshwar Pujara say Rishabh Pant cannot be like MS Dhoni?
The veteran Indian batter was quick to point out that Pant cannot become a finisher like MS Dhoni, and shouldn’t try to take up the same role. According to Pujara, the left-hander is best suited to bat during the middle overs.
"I genuinely don't know what the thought process was. But there's no doubt - he should be batting higher up the order. He's trying to do what MS Dhoni does, but he's nowhere near that level," Pujara told ESPNcricinfo.
"I still feel he's someone who should be batting during the middle overs, between the 6th and 15th. He's not a finisher, and he shouldn't be doing the job of one,” he added.
Pant’s continuous slip down the order is not a one-off. Against KKR earlier in the season, he didn’t bat at all. In the DC game, Abdul Samad, Ayush Badoni, and even David Miller were promoted above him
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His recent form hasn't helped either. He walked out with just two deliveries left in the innings, only to be dismissed by Mukesh Kumar on the final ball.
Rishabh Pant loses his cool in animated chat with Zaheer Khan
Things seemed to boil over during the match as cameras caught Pant in what appeared to be an intense exchange with team mentor Zaheer Khan.
With gloves on and visibly ready to bat, Pant was seen having a long discussion during the dying stages of the innings. That hinted at deeper issues within the LSG camp.
embarassing from pant 🤢 https://t.co/pSTn3lkScf pic.twitter.com/snbPkwAIwl
— sᴜɢᴀʀ (@Sugar_Sai_Gill) April 22, 2025
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