'The kind of frustration Rishabh is showing is evident that he was wronged. He probably wanted to bat higher'
'He is discussing that with Zaheer Khan. 'I told you, send me in'
Captain at No. 7 with two balls left? That’s not a tactic—it’s a headline waiting to happen.
In a move that baffled fans and experts alike, Rishabh Pant, skipper of the Lucknow Super Giants, was held back deep into the innings against Delhi Capitals on Tuesday. By the time he finally walked out, it was too late to salvage the game—and judging by his reaction, even he didn’t agree with the plan.
What followed summed up LSG’s chaotic day. Charging down the pitch to Mukesh Kumar, Pant attempted a wild slog but missed. Off the last ball, Mukesh bowled a low full toss aimed at the legs. Pant went for an audacious reverse lap, only to send the ball crashing back onto his stumps.
Clearly furious, Pant turned and stormed back to the pavilion. The frustration was unmistakable—his face said it all.
But was it about the mode of dismissal or something deeper?
Former India greats Anil Kumble and Suresh Raina believed it was the latter. They pointed to Pant’s visibly animated and angry reaction in the LSG dugout after the innings.
"It's alright if you wanted to bat more freely under less pressure by coming in late but this was way too late. The kind of frustration Rishabh is showing is evident that he was wronged. He probably wanted to bat higher. Was it his decision? Or was it coach Justin Langer's or maybe mentor Zaheer Khan's? Whose decision was it? Because he looked very frustrated," Kumble said during the post-match discussion on Star Sports.
Moments after his dismissal, Pant was seen having an animated conversation with former India pacer and current LSG mentor Zaheer Khan. The exchange didn’t go unnoticed.
"20 overs are left. You have to keep wickets and captain the side. You have to make your side win. He is discussing that with Zaheer Khan. 'I told you, send me in'," Raina added, speculating on the nature of the chat.
Kumble, though empathetic, felt Pant needed to handle the situation better.
"You have to make peace in these situations. He is the captain. He has to take it in a positive way. Whatever frustration or anger he has, he should translate that into positive performance," the former India captain concluded.
In a game where decisions off the field appeared as baffling as the ones on it, LSG’s missteps with their batting order may have cost them dearly—and their captain knew it.
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