Zaheer Khan Backs Rishabh Pant Despite IPL Struggles

In a recent statement, Zaheer Khan, mentor of Lucknow Super Giants, reaffirmed his belief in captain Rishabh Pant's abilities despite a challenging IPL season. Pant, who struggled with form, managed to shine in the final match, raising hopes for his future performance. Khan highlighted the positives from the season, including Pant's leadership and the batting stability provided by key players. However, injuries to bowlers disrupted the team's consistency, leading to a disappointing finish. Khan's insights shed light on the team's journey and the lessons learned throughout the season, suggesting a promising outlook for Pant moving forward.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 28, 2025, 11:51 IST

Zaheer Khan's Confidence in Rishabh Pant

Zaheer Khan, the mentor for Lucknow Super Giants, has expressed unwavering confidence in captain Rishabh Pant's skills, despite the player's disappointing performance during much of the IPL season. Khan believes that this challenging phase will ultimately strengthen Pant.

Acquired for an impressive Rs 27 crore during the mega auction, Pant faced difficulties, accumulating only 269 runs across 13 matches. He finally showcased his explosive batting style in the season finale, scoring 118 runs off 61 balls, although it resulted in a loss against Royal Challengers Bengaluru.

Khan noted, "He has been an effective leader, which was a consistent positive for us this season. His batting form was a significant learning experience for him this year."

He added, "There was never any doubt about his ability and talent," during the post-match press briefing.

The former Indian fast bowler expressed satisfaction in seeing Pant conclude the season on a high note.

"We are pleased he ended strongly—that's the caliber he possesses and the influence he can exert on the game," Khan remarked.

The season was disappointing for LSG, who ended up in seventh place with six victories and eight defeats. A series of injuries to key bowlers hampered their performance.

"At the start of the IPL season, the primary objective is to aim for the playoffs and strategize on how to achieve that. We consciously worked on addressing the challenges we faced early on, particularly the injuries to some of our main bowlers," he explained.

"We tried not to dwell too much on that and focused on finding ways to secure wins," Khan stated.

"This approach kept everyone aligned, and while we had a decent season, we ultimately fell short, and putting together a cohesive game plan was a challenge throughout the season," he acknowledged.

Despite the bowling issues, Khan highlighted the batting unit's stability as a significant positive. The overseas trio of Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, and Nicholas Pooran emerged as the team's key performers with the bat.

"There are many positives—batting stability was clearly evident," he noted.

"However, in terms of bowling, we were constantly trying to determine the right combinations and options to help us succeed, which was a recurring theme throughout the season," he admitted.