 "Rishabh Pant attracts criticism despite bringing up first fifty of IPL 2025: 'T20 game is absolutely finished'")
Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant shook off the rust and finally made a major contribution with the bat in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL), top-scoring for his team with a knock of 63 in Monday’s home game against Chennai Super Kings. Pant had scored just 40 runs in five outings so far this season at an average of 8 and was under immense pressure to justify his price tag of Rs 27 crore which LSG had shelled out for him in the mega auction in November.
The wicketkeeper-batter brought up his first half-century of the season on Monday to and his 19th overall in the league, with former India cricketer Irfan Pathan hailing Pant for his “brilliant batting”.
Brilliant batting from Rishabh pant. Standing on off stump is so important for him.
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) April 14, 2025
Pant’s strike rate remains a concern despite his first half-century of the season
However, several others on social media slammed the the 27-year-old for his slow batting, with Pant consuming 49 balls during his stay at the crease and finishing with a strike rate of 128.57 despite hitting a few sixes in the death overs.
Pant was batting on 38 off as many deliveries in the 17th over, with CSK left-arm wrist spinner Noor Ahmad bowling six consecutive dots to the southpaw. LSG, as a result, hadn’t crossed the 140-mark at the end of the 18th over, and barely managed to cross 160 (166/7) in the end.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsHere are some of the more negative comments aimed at Pant on social networking platform X:
38 off 38 balls...what is this cooking by masterchef Rishabh Pant?🥶🥵 pic.twitter.com/pVyyPl2WGC
— TukTuk Academy (@TukTuk_Academy) April 14, 2025
Brother Pant, we are grateful so far. Just don't smash in the end. pic.twitter.com/hBjMwt6nG5
— Silly Point (@FarziCricketer) April 14, 2025
Imagine the outrage if KL Rahul had played this knock.
— Rajiv (@Rajiv1841) April 14, 2025
But Rishabh Pant's PR will save him somehow despite knowing this is one of the worse T2O knock in history of cricket!! pic.twitter.com/csu7Ki68qO
Shocking how Rishabh Pant even made it to India’s T20I squad.
— StarcyKKR (@StarcKKR) April 14, 2025
Struggling at 55*(44) today — after constant failures — proves his T20 game is absolutely finished.
The brainless slogging that used to occasionally come off was shamelessly marketed as “x-factor” by his PR circus. pic.twitter.com/Y9VWb28IhG
Pant innings today pic.twitter.com/bVuFrceJY2
— Rajesh Kirana (@Upooorv) April 14, 2025
LSG are on a three-game winning streak at the moment but have made it extremely difficult to collect a fourth victory in a row with what appears a below-par total against CSK.
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