With IPL 2026 just underway, Rishabh Pant has already come under scrutiny following Lucknow Super Giants’ disappointing start to the season. Leading the side once again, Pant saw his team suffer a heavy defeat in their opening fixture on Wednesday, April 1.
His struggles with the bat, which were evident during the previous season, appear to have continued into the early phase of this campaign. Amid these concerns, the experienced Indian wicketkeeper-batter has been advised to learn from 15-year-old rising talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Vaughan Questions Pant’s Current Form
Rishabh Pant has gradually fallen out of India’s ODI and T20I setups in recent years. While he remains a key figure in Test cricket, his IPL form has been inconsistent.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan highlighted the level of competition Pant faces within the Indian setup, noting the depth of options available.
“He’s playing for a country that’s got so much depth. He would get into every other nation’s team because of the skillset – he can whack the ball, is a good keeper and a good thinker. But when it comes to playing for India, you’ve got Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, and Jitesh Sharma. There’s a galaxy of wicketkeeper batters, and it’s not going to be easy for him.”
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Vaughan also stressed that Pant cannot afford another underwhelming IPL campaign, both as a batter and as captain, particularly after his difficult 2025 season.
He added, “The biggest profile and the biggest stage are now. For him to have another humdinger of an IPL – bat well, captain well. If I were him, I would be watching Sooryavanshi. Because when Rishabh plays, it reminds me a lot of him. It’s just the free spirit. Rishabh should bat at No. 3, try to whack it out of the park. His mindset should be ‘I can hit a 100 off 48 balls’.”
Pant’s Numbers Under the Lens
Pant’s IPL 2025 campaign saw him score 269 runs from 13 innings at an average of 24.45. Notably, 118* of those runs came in a single innings against RCB, underlining his inconsistency across the season.
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Under his captaincy, Lucknow Super Giants failed to qualify for the playoffs, managing only six wins from 14 matches.
The trend continued in IPL 2026, where Pant promoted himself to open the innings against Delhi Capitals but was dismissed for 7 off 9 balls.
Sooryavanshi’s Rapid Rise
In contrast, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has made an immediate impact. The young Rajasthan Royals opener began his IPL 2026 campaign with a blistering 52 off 17 balls, helping his side secure a commanding win over CSK in Guwahati.
Earlier in the year, he had also produced a remarkable innings of 175 off 80 balls against England U19 during the 2026 ICC Men’s U19 World Cup in Zimbabwe.
As Pant looks to regain form, Vaughan’s suggestion to adopt a fearless approach similar to Sooryavanshi could play a key role in shaping his season.
LSG Eye Bounce-Back Against SRH
Lucknow Super Giants, after their six-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals, will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad in match 10 of IPL 2026.
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The fixture is scheduled to take place at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad on Sunday, April 5, with play set to begin at 3:30 PM IST.
A stronger all-round performance will be crucial for Pant and his team as they aim to return to winning ways.
