LSG captain Rishabh Pant’s torrid run in the IPL 2025 continued on Monday. A record buy in the auction, Pant has failed to make an impact with the bat in hand. The 27-year-old’s failure to handle the weight of expectations could eventually cost him any chance to make India captain, with Shubman Gill now the frontrunner.
Rishabh Pant’s struggles cost him India captaincy?
Rohit Sharma has retired from Test cricket, and India are in search of a new skipper. Pant is a bona fide superstar in the whites for India. The left-hander has been India’s leading run-getter since 2020 despite missing a chunk of the matches due to injury. The 27-year-old has been vice-captain on occasion and was also in consideration when Rohit Sharma succeeded Virat Kohli to the job.
Now with Jasprit Bumrah also reportedly turning down the job, Pant is likely to be one of the contenders for the top job. However, his run with LSG is likely to do him any favours. The wicketkeeper arrived at his new franchise with a record bid, with expectations to lead them to glory.
However, Pant has failed to deceive. With the bat, Rishabh has 135 runs in 12 innings, striking at 100. His average of 12.27 paints a dire picture of his impact on the LSG’s fortunes. As a captain, he has failed to galvanise the team, with LSG now needing 3 wins in 3 games to make the playoffs. Even then, they might lose out if results do not go in their favour.
Gill trumps Pant in India’s Test captain race
While IPL credentials are unlikely to be at the forefront of red ball discussions, they certainly do have some impact. Rishabh’s competition, Shubman Gill, has led his side Gujarat Titans to the playoffs. He was vice-captain to Rohit Sharma in India’s Champions Trophy success. With the bat, he is second on the Orange Cap leaderboard, leading from the front.
Had Pant performed well in the IPL, it could have been a completely different story. The left-hander would have been the more popular choice, with Gill having only recently established himself on the Test side. Pant, meanwhile, walks in, even in such dire form. However, he has made a mess of his chances, and now a deputy position looks likely with the India vs England on the horizon.
The post India’s Test captain: Rishabh Pant’s IPL 2025 horror show could cost LSG skipper India job appeared first on Inside Sport India.