When Lucknow Super Giants spent a record-breaking ₹27 crore on Rishabh Pant, they were not just buying a wicketkeeper-batter. They were investing in a leader, a match-winner and the future face of the franchise. But two seasons later, the move has turned into one of the biggest disappointments in IPL history.Pant’s struggles with the bat have become impossible to ignore. Once considered among the most destructive T20 batters in the world, the left-hander now looks like a shadow of his former self. Between 2017 and 2019, Pant dominated the IPL with 1,538 runs at an average of 38.45 and a stunning strike rate of 168.08. Back then, only a few could match his fearlessness.But since 2020, the decline has been steady — and IPL 2026 may have marked rock bottom.Across IPL 2025 and 2026, Pant has been one of the least effective middle-order batters against both spin and pace. Against spinners, he has managed a strike rate of just 126.1, among the lowest in the league for players facing over 100 balls. Even more worrying is his inability to rotate strike, with nearly 30 percent of his deliveries against spin ending as dot balls.The numbers against pace are hardly better. Pant has a strike rate of only 140.9 against fast bowling over the last two IPL seasons — a poor return for someone batting in the middle overs where acceleration is crucial. Overall, he has been among the slowest scorers in the IPL despite carrying the pressure of being the league’s most expensive player.But batting is only half the problem.Pant’s captaincy at LSG has also raised serious questions. While wins and losses alone cannot define leadership, many tactical decisions under him have left fans and analysts confused.The constant reshuffling of the batting order became a major issue throughout IPL 2026. Pant opened in one game, batted at No. 3 for several others and later dropped himself to No. 5. In just 13 innings, he changed his batting position four times. Players like Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram were repeatedly shifted despite performing well in fixed roles.His bowling decisions also came under scrutiny. Young performers were dropped suddenly, part-time bowlers were trusted in high-pressure moments and several team selections lacked consistency.Unlike Shreyas Iyer, who justified his massive price tag by leading Punjab Kings strongly and scoring runs consistently, Pant has failed to deliver either as a batter or captain.LSG now face a difficult but necessary conversation. Is Pant still the long-term leader of the franchise, or has IPL 2026 exposed deeper cracks in both his batting and captaincy?
₹27 crore mistake? Rishabh Pant endures nightmare IPL 2026 as LSG captain
