With A Price Tag Of 27 Crore, Rishabh Pant Again Becomes The Centre Of Attraction Ahead Of IPL 2026

Rishabh Pant has been a revelation in Test cricket ever since his debut in 2018, but when it comes to white-ball cricket, especially T20s, the destructive southpaw batter hasn't been able to crack the code yet.

He's been someone on whom both Indian cricket and the IPL franchises have put a lot of faith, but he hasn't been able to do justice to it.

One of the prime examples was last year's season, where he was the most expensive player of IPL history, bagging INR 27 crore from LSG, and was also given the captaincy duties.

However, he was unable to do justice to the price tag and scored only 269 runs in 14 matches last season, at an average of 24.45, including a century in an inconsequential match. On top of the under his captaincy, LSG didn't manage to qualify for the play-offs and finished 7th in the points table.

IPL 2026 is critical for Pant's international white-ball chances given the intense competition in India's T20I squad, and he'll head into the season with a lot of expectations riding on his back both as a batter and a leader.

While speaking to Jio Hotstar at 'IPL Today Live', expert Faf du Plessis dissected why Rishabh Pant hasn't been able to convert his immense talent into consistent performances on the field.

Faf explained that, given the range of shots Pant has in his repertoire, he lacks clarity in shot-making and gets confused.

“The talent that Rishabh Pant has is tremendous. You look at him playing Test cricket and you think, this guy has all the shots. When I look at his game, I feel he has too many options in his head. He feels like he can hit a six off every ball to any part of the ground.

But in T20 batting, you still need a method. You need a game plan for how you go about your business. Look at all the great T20 players. You can almost have an idea of where they will score their boundaries and where they have slight weaknesses. They work their way through that. With Pant, I feel he is always on the edge. When you watch him play, you feel he can get out at any time because it is almost frantic at times.

He also expressed surprise on the low T20 strike rate of Pant in the T20 format given his talent and performances in Tests.

"The surprising number for me is his T20 strike-rate, which is around 130. How is that possible for a guy with so many shots? Maybe it is because we watch him in Test cricket playing these extravagant, exuberant innings, taking the game on. We almost feel that should just happen in T20 cricket as well,” Faf added.

Faf Breaks Down Pant's Ideal Batting Position In IPL

Lucknow Super Giants have some heavyweights in their batting order at the top in the form of Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran, along with Rishabh Pant.

However, du Plessis, the numbers suggest that No.3 is the right slot for skipper Rishabh Pant. With Markram and March playing as designated openers, and Pant at No.3, West Indian powerhouse Nicholas Pooran can slide down the order to make way for Pant at the third position.

“Looking at LSG’s 2026 auction and their strategy around who they signed, you look at that top-heavy batting line-up – Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Nicholas Pooran are the main ones alongside Pant. Pooran is maybe the only guy who can slide down. But the success Marsh and Markram had at the top of the order for LSG last season is probably something I would expect them to start with again. So, maybe there is an opportunity for Pant to bat at number three. The numbers suggest that for him to be the best player he can be, number three looks good. I see him batting at number three for LSG this season with Nicholas Pooran sliding down to number four.”

'Pant Needs A Blueprint' - Akash Chopra

Former Indian opener Akash Chopra also believes that Rishabh Pant needs to change his batting approach to succeed in the T20 format. While Chopra acknowledged that Pant sees the game differently from others, he's hopeful that his acceptance of his mistakes and approaching Yuvraj Singh ahead of IPL 2026 for guidance is a good sign for cricket.

“We sometimes fail to understand what Rishabh Pant brings to the table and how he sees the game unfold. To give credit where it’s due, Pant sees the game very differently from most of us who see it conventionally. But the most heartening thing for me is his acceptance that he needs to change something in his game. He needs to look for a blueprint. Something is not going right. He knows he is that good. The fact that he has approached Yuvraj Singh for help shows he acknowledges that he needs guidance, help and assistance. That is a great sign. With the quality, talent and skills he has, it is a travesty that he is not killing it in white-ball cricket.”

Akash Chopra also justified the constant scrutiny, Rishabh Pant is under given his unique approach towards the game and his the ample opportunities given to him in the format.

“The scrutiny around Rishabh Pant is justified. He is a prisoner of his own reputation for playing unorthodox shots and rarely looks to grind out runs when the situation demands it. Last season, despite opportunities to take time and rebuild his form, he continued to play risky shots, which drew criticism.

Chopra also highlighted that Rishabh Pant was a part of the 2024 T20 World Cup winning team but now he's left behind in the race and the perks of playing for the national team is unmatched against the IPL.

"Having been part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Barbados, he is now completely out of the conversation for the national side. The selectors and management went from selecting a middle-order keeper to an opener keeper and a keeper who can bat at three. While the IPL is massive, representing India remains the ultimate priority, and losing that spot means it’s time for him to go back to the drawing board,” Chopra concluded.