It marked his fifth outing as an IPL opener, with his last such appearance dating back to 2016 for Delhi against RCB
Rishabh Pant (Pic: AFP)
Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant's lean patch with the bat extended further as he failed to deliver once again in his side's IPL 2025 fixture against Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on Saturday. Chasing a target of 181, Pant was promoted to open the innings in the absence of Mitchell Marsh, who missed the game due to a family emergency.
However, the decision to send Pant up the order did little to change his fortunes. Coming into the match with just 19 runs from four innings this season, the wicketkeeper-batter could only manage 21 runs off 18 balls before being dismissed by Prasidh Krishna, caught at third man by Washington Sundar. It marked his fifth outing as an IPL opener, with his last such appearance dating back to 2016 for Delhi against RCB.
Pant appeared tentative right from the outset. He managed just two runs off his first seven deliveries and was struck on the leg by Arshad Khan in the second over, needing medical attention. Though he carried on after the physio’s assessment and was even dropped by Jos Buttler off Mohammed Siraj, he never looked settled. He did manage to find the boundary on four occasions, but lacked fluency and rhythm throughout his innings.
The southpaw shared a promising 65-run stand with Aiden Markram for the opening wicket in 6.1 overs. Markram looked in supreme touch, smashing 58 off just 31 deliveries. After Pant’s departure, Nicholas Pooran took charge, forming a crucial 58-run partnership with Markram that put LSG in control. Eventually, the hosts chased down the target with three balls to spare, securing a much-needed victory.
Earlier in the match, Gujarat Titans got off to a flying start after being asked to bat first. Skipper Shubman Gill and Sai Sudharsan forged a brilliant 120-run opening partnership. Gill’s fluent 60 off 38 balls and Sudharsan’s composed 56 off 37 set the tone, but LSG bowlers staged an impressive comeback in the death overs. Gujarat were restricted to 180/6 in their 20 overs, scoring just 60 runs in the final eight overs.
Despite Pant’s ongoing struggles, LSG’s batting unit stepped up, and the team managed to clinch their third win of the season.
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