Faf Du Plessis Highlights Pressure on Rishabh Pant Ahead of IPL Season
Rishabh Pant Faces Crucial IPL Season
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 22: Faf Du Plessis, the seasoned South African batsman, emphasized that the forthcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season is pivotal for Rishabh Pant, the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), especially after a disappointing performance last year where he was the league's highest-paid player at Rs 27 crore.
This season, Pant is determined to overcome the setbacks of the 2025 season and prove his worth corresponding to his hefty price tag. It is arguably the most significant season for him, not just financially but also for his prospects in India's limited-overs squad, as he has been overshadowed by KL Rahul in ODIs and by Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in T20Is, with Jitesh Sharma also in contention. A standout IPL performance could re-establish Pant as a leading contender for India's wicketkeeper-batter role in limited-overs cricket.
During an appearance on JioHotstar's 'Game Plan – Know Your Team', Du Plessis remarked, 'Rishabh Pant is likely the player under the most pressure in this IPL season. Some players thrive under the weight of their price tag, while others falter. Last season was particularly challenging for him, as both he and the team struggled significantly.'
Pant's 2025 season was lackluster, amassing only 269 runs across 13 innings, averaging 24.45 with a strike rate of 133.16, including just one century and one fifty, with his highest score being 118* against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).
Du Plessis also raised concerns regarding the team's bowling strategy, given their batting-heavy lineup, suggesting that if Pant returns to form, it would alleviate some pressure from the bowlers.
He expressed admiration for young spinner Digvesh Rathi, who made a significant impact in his debut season, taking 14 wickets in 13 matches at an average of 30.64, with best figures of 2/30. Du Plessis is eager to see how opposing batters will adapt to Rathi's bowling in the upcoming season.
'Digvesh Rathi's performance was remarkable. In his first season, many batters were caught off guard by his style. I remember my first encounter with him and thought, 'I need to adjust because this is quite different.' In his second season, it will be interesting to see how batters approach him now,' Du Plessis noted.
He also mentioned the challenges faced by Sri Lanka's Wanindu Hasaranga, LSG's leading spinner, who is likely to miss the early part of the IPL due to an injury sustained during the T20 World Cup, and discussed potential spin combinations for the team.
'Hasaranga has had a history of injuries over the past three years, and he is injured again. I anticipate he won't be available for the initial phase of the IPL. They may need to rely on Anrich Nortje (pacer) to maintain balance. The spin combination could involve Digvesh Rathi, Shahbaz Ahmed, and possibly some part-time contributions from Aiden Markram,' he concluded.
LSG is set to kick off their season against Delhi Capitals (DC) on April 1 in Lucknow.