Major flaw detected in Rishabh Pant's T20 game, LSG captain asked to stop being 'stuck': 'Kohli is a master at that'
Former India opening batter Wasim Jaffer feels Rishabh Pant needs to get better in rotating the strike in the shortest format of the game.
Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant did not have an ideal start to the IPL 2025 season, scoring 40 runs in six matches, heading into the contest against Chennai Super Kings. However, the left-handed batter found some form back, scoring 63 runs off 49 balls against the MS Dhoni-led side. However, this effort went in vain as the visitors registered a five-wicket win.
Pant's innings against CSK included 21 dot balls and this promoted former India opener Wasim Jaffer to make a key observation about the game of the left-hander. Jaffer feels the Lucknow Super Giants captain needs to get better at rotating the strike.
Pant's knock against CSK was not fluent as the batter struggled in the middle. He found it tough to rotate the strike against the spinners, especially Noor Ahmad.
Pant walked out to bat at No.4 after LSG lost the wicket of Nicholas Pooran. The 27-year-old Pant was batting on 38 off 38 at one stage as Noor Ahmad had him all at sea.
It must be mentioned that among all the batters in the IPL 2025 season who have faced at least 50 balls, Pant has the lowest dot-ball percentage of 48.48.
Speaking on ESPNCricinfo's ‘Timeout’, Jaffer said, "I don't know whether he looks to rotate the strike. Virat Kohli is a master at that. He gets off strike so nicely as he can play all around. But Pant sometimes does get stuck, and that's the issue. Then he goes for that big shot. I feel he needs to get better at rotating strike as well."
"I feel he never looks to hit straight. He always looks to go towards the leg side, towards square leg, cow corner. He hit one straight six right towards the end. Otherwise, at the start of the innings, he was always looking to go towards the leg side, or that reverse scoop that he played, but that was the only thing. A lot of the time, the teams stack up the fielders in that area as well. So I think he needs to access down the ground a lot more," he added.
LSG suffer their third defeat in IPL 2025
The total of 166 did not prove to be enough as CSK chased the target down with five wickets in hand and three balls to spare. MS Dhoni and Shivam Dube put on an unbeaten 57-run stand for the sixth wicket to take the side over the line at the Ekana.
Ravi Bishnoi didn't complete his quota of four overs, and the decision not to bring him in when MS Dhoni was in the middle raised a few eyebrows. The former India captain is considered weak against spin, so the decision not to use Bishnoi did not sit well with cricket pundits and fans.
This was LSG's third defeat in the ongoing IPL 2025 season. The Rishabh Pant-led side is now in fourth place in the standings with 8 points from 7 matches.
The Lucknow Super Giants will next face Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, April 19.
