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Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant has found himself in the firing line after his below-par showing in the current IPL 2026 season. The 28-year-old saw Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lose their seventh game of the season despite posting a massive score of 228 on the board.

Purchased for INR 27 Crores ahead of the IPL 2025 season, Pant has given average returns with the bat and as the skipper. Loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Wankhede Stadium on Monday has seen his side rooted to the bottom of the points table. Former Indian coach Sanjay Bangar hit out at Lucknow’s skipper after his side’s latest reversal on the field.

Speaking to ESPN Cricinfo at the end of the MI vs LSG game, Bangar said, “If he (Pant) were scoring runs, things would have been better. The decision-making can also become clearer. It is also important for a captain to maintain stability with his communication, and that is something that has been lacking so far.”

Former Indian batter suggests captaincy change

With just two wins this season, LSG are out of reckoning for a place in the playoffs with five games left to play. Not for the first time this season, many experts have come down hard on the 28-year-old and his captaincy skills. The constant struggles have seen a chorus of voices urging the franchise to change its captain.

Rohan Gavaskar, the former India ODI player, during his chat with Cricbuzz, said, “Sanjiv Goenka wanted Pant to create a legacy. LSG’s owner wanted him to play for a long time and also get trophies for the side. The franchise should now decide if they want to continue with the same captain after the season ends.”

IPL winner fears for Pant’s batting

Former IPL winner Manoj Tiwary revealed, while speaking to Cricbuzz, that the Indian star has felt the burden of leading the side, which has affected his batting. The 40-year-old was fearful that the left-handed batter could lose his confidence after yet another poor show.

Tiwary opined, “Under the pressure of leading the side, we are losing his batting. He is a player who has done well in international matches and the IPL in the past. The team has to make sure that he is released from the pressures of leading the side and let Pant play as a batter, which could do the team a world of good.”