'It's a team game. Yes, one player can make a difference'
Lucknow Super Giants’ star signing Rishabh Pant, who was bought for a record Rs 27 crore, continues to endure a tough IPL 2025 season. The left-hander’s struggles with the bat persisted on Sunday as Lucknow slumped to a 54-run defeat against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium.
Coming in early during LSG's chase, Pant attempted a reverse sweep on just the second ball he faced, only to hand a simple catch to Karn Sharma at short third man. He walked back for just four runs, extending a disappointing run of form.
After the match, Pant was quizzed about his personal slump. Speaking to the host broadcaster, the LSG skipper insisted it was unfair to single out individuals in a team sport.
"Keeping it simple and not thinking too much about it. In a season like this, when things aren’t going your way, it’s easy to start questioning yourself — but that’s not something you want to do," Pant said.
"Eventually, it's a team game. Yes, one player can make a difference, but to always pick out an individual isn't the right approach," he added.
Pant’s numbers this season underline his struggle: in 10 matches, the 27-year-old has scored just 110 runs at an average of 12.22 and a strike rate of 98.21. His sequence of scores — 0, 15, 2, 2, 21, 63, 3, 0, and 4 — highlights the inconsistency that has weighed LSG down at critical moments.
With the playoffs race heating up, Lucknow will hope their skipper rediscovers his touch before it’s too late.
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