Rishabh Pant Labelled 'Stubborn', Sent Clear 'It's Not Working' Message
Rishabh Pant IPL 2025: Former Star Calls Out ‘Stubborn’ Approach Amid Poor Form
Published: May 5, 2025 | Updated: Latest IPL 2025 cricket news and analysis
Rishabh Pant’s struggles in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season have reached a concerning level, with the star wicketkeeper-batsman failing to justify his record-breaking price tag of INR 27 crore. The Lucknow Super Giants’ marquee signing has been under intense scrutiny following a series of underwhelming performances, prompting former Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians batter Ambati Rayudu to voice his concerns about Pant’s approach to the game.
Current Season Performance
- Batting Average: Just over 12
- Price Tag: INR 27 crore
- Team: Lucknow Super Giants
- Batting Positions Tried: No. 3 to No. 7
Rayudu’s Critical Assessment
Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out, Ambati Rayudu didn’t mince his words when discussing Pant’s current form. “I think, at this point in time, I’m feeling very sorry for him because he’s not been changing his batting order or his approach,” Rayudu stated. “I think he’s being pretty stubborn about how he wants to go about things. It’s not working in his favour at the moment.”
Expert Recommendations
Rayudu, who has extensive experience in IPL cricket, suggested that Pant needs to make significant changes to his approach. “It happens in this sport, to be very honest, and he is going through a very, very bad patch. It can happen to anybody. I just hope that he takes this learning and improves on it and doesn’t become even more stubborn, but just accepts the fact that he is struggling and starts doing things a little differently.”
Positioning Concerns
One of the key issues highlighted by Rayudu is Pant’s batting position. Despite trying various positions in the middle order, from No. 3 to No. 7, Pant has failed to make an impact. Rayudu believes that opening might be Pant’s best position in white-ball cricket, stating, “Pant ideally for me is an opener in white-ball cricket, because in the middle order, he has not been great. I know he loves playing in the middle, but he doesn’t have the batsmanship that is required or the skill set.”
Mental Aspect and Confidence
The former India batter also touched upon the mental aspect of Pant’s game, suggesting that confidence issues might be affecting his performance. “That shows that mentally he is not very relaxed and very calm. At the moment, the word that I would use is he lacks confidence,” Rayudu concluded.
Looking Forward
As the IPL 2025 season progresses, all eyes will be on Pant to see if he can turn his form around. The pressure is mounting on the young wicketkeeper-batsman, who was expected to be a key player for Lucknow Super Giants following his record-breaking auction price. Whether he takes Rayudu’s advice on board and makes the necessary adjustments remains to be seen.
This article is based on reports from ESPNcricinfo and other sources. The views expressed are those of the experts quoted.
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