Navjot Singh Sidhu EXPOSES 'biggest problem' with Rishabh Pant

Former India National Cricket Team player Navjot Singh Sidhu has said that the biggest problem with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant is his shot selection.

Navjot Singh Sidhu also said that the mentality of Rishabh Pant to hit his way out every time is not the right one, and it has been the major reason behind his downfall.

Rishabh Pant is struggling BADLY in IPL 2025

Pant has failed to repay the faith of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), who spent INR 27 crore at the Indian Premier League 2025 mega auction and made him the most expensive player in the history of the league.

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The wicketkeeper-batsman has looked miserable with the bat, and it has also impacted his leadership as he has often been seen losing his cool without any major reason on the field.

In 11 matches in the Indian Premier League 2025, Rishabh Pant has only managed to score 128 runs at an awful average of 12.80 and an extremely poor strike rate of 99.22.

He has hit just one half-century in the ongoing season as he smashed 63 runs against the 5-time champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which also came in a losing cause.

The problem with Rishabh Pant is his shot selection - Navjot Singh Sidhu

The cricketer-turned-commentator Navjot Singh Sidhu has clearly been disappointed with the way Pant has batted in the IPL 2025. He said that Pant's poor shot selection, along with the pressure of his own reputation, has been the major reason behind his lean patch.

"The problem with Rishabh Pant is his shot selection. You can't hit your way out of trouble every time. Maybe it's the pressure of his own reputation that's weighing him down and not allowing him to relax.

"It shows-his frustration is visible. As captain, he often loses his cool, and that gives the opposition an edge," JioStar expert Sidhu said during a panel discussion.

Pant needs to tune his mindset - Navjot Singh

Navjot Singh Sidhu also urged Rishabh Pant to take some learnings from his idol MS Dhoni and stay calm and collected on the field when his team is under pressure. He said:

"Look at Dhoni-calm, composed, giving nothing away. Pant needs to tune his mindset, especially around shot selection. He needs to go back to the basics."

Under the leadership of Pant, Lucknow Super Giants have won five out of 11 matches that they have competed in and have a Net Run Rate of -0.469. In case the IPL 2025 resumes after a suspension of one week, LSG will need to win their remaining matches to give themselves a chance to qualify for the playoffs. However, Navjot Singh Sidhu believes that the poor Net Run Rate of LSG will hurt them.

"Even if LSG win all their remaining matches, their poor net run rate will hurt their chances," Sidhu said.

Notably, the Indian Premier League 2025 has been suspended for one week because of the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. However, the BCCI is optimistic about the resumption in a week's time.

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