Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer refused to comment on where captain Rishabh Pant will be batting ahead of the clash against Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on Wednesday, April 1. Pant had an indifferent season in 2025, where he was bought by LSG for a whopping Rs. 27 crore.
It also partly had to do with how he was constantly shuffled around the batting order. The LSG skipper batted at No.4 during four out of the five games. He didn’t come out to bat in the high-scoring game against KKR and even batted at No.7, incidentally against DC at Lucknow.
He found success at No.3 when he scored a hundred against RCB in the final league game. There was a report ahead of the new season saying that Pant would be entrusted with the role of No.3 ahead of Nicholas Pooran, who enjoyed a great run at No.3, scoring 466 runs in 12 matches with five fifties to his name.
Langer admitted that it is a struggle to meet Pant, Pooran, Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh in the top four, given that they’re all wonderful players. But he admitted that it was a good headache heading into the new season.
Specifically with Pant, he said that he won’t give away anything in order to avoid DC planning well ahead of the game.
“I’m not telling you. Well, the truth is, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you where Rishabh Pant’s gonna bat tomorrow. I appreciate you asking, but if you want a straight answer, I’m not telling you where he’s gonna bat tomorrow because then DC knows where he’s gonna bat, and then they’ll have to deal with it tonight, not tomorrow at 7:30. Thanks for asking, though, you’ll wait and see like everyone else,” said Langer.
PANT’S RECORD AT NO.3 IN IPL
Pant has scored 558 runs in 15 matches, scoring a hundred and two fifties during this time. His strike-rate is 172.75 and an average of 46.5. Last season, Pant only managed 269 runs from 14 matches and will be hoping for a revival this time around.
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