Sourav Ganguly raises concerns over Rishabh Pant’s T20 adaptation and leadership – Sourav Ganguly Raises Concerns Over Rishabh Pant’s T20 Adaptation and LSG Leadership

The High-Profile Struggle of Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant, widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted and explosive batters in modern cricket, has found himself in a prolonged slump over the past two years. His career reached a financial peak when he was acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a record-breaking sum of INR 27 crore. However, this massive price tag has come with heightened scrutiny, and his performances on the field have struggled to match the monumental expectations.

During a recent interview with the Times of India (TOI), former Indian national team captain Sourav Ganguly shared his candid thoughts regarding the keeper-batter’s recent form. Ganguly highlighted the challenges Pant faces in balancing his individual batting duties with the demanding responsibilities of leadership in the shortest format of the game.

The Heavy Burden of Leadership at Lucknow Super Giants

For two consecutive seasons, Rishabh Pant led the Lucknow Super Giants as captain. While leadership can inspire some cricketers to scale new heights, for others, the double responsibility of captaincy and individual performance can become a heavy burden. In Pant’s case, balancing these two roles has proven highly difficult, and his personal output has suffered noticeably.

Under Pant’s leadership during the 2025 and 2026 IPL seasons, the Lucknow Super Giants failed to achieve the desired success. The team’s collective performances mirrored their captain’s struggles, with repeated physical injuries also playing a significant role in disrupting Pant’s momentum at crucial moments.

Analyzing LSG’s Track Record Under Pant

The statistical breakdown of LSG’s campaigns under Pant’s captaincy paints a stark picture of the team’s struggles. Over the course of the 2025 and 2026 seasons, Lucknow played a total of 28 matches under Pant’s leadership. The results were as follows:

• Total Matches: 28
• Wins: 10
• Defeats: 18
• Win Percentage: Approximately 35.7%

In the 2025 season, Lucknow finished in a modest 7th place on the points table. The situation worsened in the subsequent 2026 season, where the team finished at the very bottom of the standings, occupying the 10th spot in the ten-team league. This decline has raised serious questions about the franchise’s direction and Pant’s long-term suitability as tactical leader in the IPL.

A Deep Dive Into the Batting Numbers

Rishabh Pant’s dip in form is not just an eye-test observation; it is heavily backed by his statistical output over the last two years. When compared to his career standards, his recent seasons show a visible drop in consistency and impact.

During the 2025 season, the left-handed batter managed to score only 269 runs, finishing with a disappointing batting average of 24.45. In the 2026 season, he showed a slight statistical improvement, scoring 312 runs across 13 innings at an average of 28.36. Despite the marginal rise in average, these numbers remain well below what is expected from a marquee INR 27 crore player.

To put this slump into perspective, we can look at his overall IPL career statistics. Throughout his journey in the tournament, Pant has accumulated 3,865 runs across 136 innings. This gives him a career batting average of 33.60—a figure significantly higher than his averages in both the 2025 and 2026 campaigns. This drop indicates that the added pressure of leading LSG, combined with recovery from injuries, has severely hampered his explosive batting style.

Sourav Ganguly’s Verdict: Test Mastery vs. T20 Struggles

Sourav Ganguly, who has observed Pant’s career closely, emphasized that while the young player is an undisputed match-winner in the longest format of the game, he has yet to unlock the same level of consistency in T20 cricket. Ganguly pointed out that T20 adaptation remains a work in progress for the southpaw, especially when coupled with captaincy.

“He’s a very good Test player. His Test match batting is world-class. He’s still finding it tough to adapt to T20 cricket. I hope he does because he’s got enormous talent,” Ganguly told TOI in his interview.

The former skipper also spoke about the psychological weight of leading a franchise in a high-pressure environment like the IPL. Ganguly noted that while captaincy is a massive honor that most players crave, it requires a delicate balancing act to prevent it from affecting individual performances.

“Captaincy is a burden on everyone. It’s how you handle it. But then you want to be captain, don’t you? You want to be captain because it’s a huge honour. So you will have to get that balance right. You do it, or somebody else will,” Ganguly added.

The Road Ahead for Rishabh Pant

There is no denying the raw talent and game-changing ability that Rishabh Pant possesses. However, as LSG looks to rebuild and Pant seeks to rediscover his explosive best, finding the right balance between his batting and his tactical responsibilities is crucial. Whether he can adapt to the rapid demands of T20 cricket and silence his critics in the upcoming seasons remains one of the most intriguing storylines in Indian cricket.