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"The Season Is Over" Former India Captain Pleads Goenka's LSG To Bench Rishabh Pant

Rajgeeta Yadav

Rishabh Pant gets dismissed for 7 runs against SRH [Source: @Shreyash0417/X.com]Rishabh Pant gets dismissed for 7 runs against SRH [Source: @Shreyash0417/X.com]

Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has suggested that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) should rest Rishabh Pant for the rest of this year’s IPL. His comments came after LSG was knocked out of the tournament following a loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 19.

Kris Srikkanth Believes Pant Is mentally Exhausted

Pant, who was bought by LSG for a record ₹27 crore in the auction, has had a disappointing season. He’s managed to score just 135 runs in 11 matches, with only one half-century. In the latest match vs SRH, he was out after scoring just 7 runs off 6 balls.

Kris Srikkanth believes Pant is mentally exhausted and could really use a break. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said, “Unfortunately things are not going Rishabh Pant’s way.” 

 “Even when captaining… be it bowling changes or field placements, he seems to be messing up in some form or the other. Things are not going his way. Even with the bat, he can just play freely and be bold, but he seems to be playing half-hearted shots with no clarity. Every game he is finding new ways to get dismissed. During my playing days I used to invent ways to get dismissed and Pant is doing worse than me. 30 years back I was like that, today he is finding new ways to get out — reverse-sweep, reverse-paddle, swinging wildly — all of it is happening."  

According to Srikkanth, since LSG has no chance of making it to the playoffs, there’s no point pushing Pant in the last two games against Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Instead, he feels this is the perfect time for the team to look ahead and plan for the future.

 “I just want him to be left alone…they should say enough, just go and spend some time away. The season is over. Whatever they are planning for the next season — they have to change the core and bring in bowlers — they don’t have any bowlers in this team,” Srikkanth said.    

LSG will play their last match of the season against RCB on May 27. It remains to be seen where they end up on the points table.