Lucknow: Rishabh Pant may be enduring a difficult IPL season, but Justin Langer has made it clear that the Lucknow Super Giants captain still has the full backing of the team management.
Following LSG’s defeat to Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League 2026 clash, Langer addressed questions around Pant’s form, captaincy decisions, and the pressure of his record-breaking price tag.
Selfless call for the team
One of the biggest talking points from the match was Pant’s decision to demote himself in the batting order — a move Langer described as “selfless”.
Instead of promoting himself, Pant allowed Nicholas Pooran to bat higher up the order. The decision paid early dividends as Pooran smashed a blistering 63 off just 21 balls, giving LSG much-needed momentum.
Langer revealed that the call was entirely Pant’s, underlining his team-first mindset despite personal struggles with form.
“He selflessly moved down the order to let Nicky P bat. That was unbelievable batting,” Langer said, adding that such decisions reflect leadership beyond individual performance.
Experimenting amid struggles
Pant’s form this season has been under scrutiny, with inconsistent scores and frequent changes in the batting order raising questions. Against Mumbai, LSG experimented by pushing Josh Inglis to open alongside Mitchell Marsh, while Pooran slotted in at No. 3.
Pant himself came in at No. 4 but managed only 15 runs.
However, Langer pointed out that Pant had shown excellent touch in practice, scoring a quickfire 90-plus knock in a recent intra-squad game — a reminder that his best may not be far away.
“We’ve seen him at his very best. He’s not far off,” Langer said, expressing confidence in Pant’s ability to bounce back.
The ‘Rs 27 crore question’
Pant’s record Rs 27 crore price tag — the highest in IPL history — has naturally invited scrutiny, especially with LSG struggling near the bottom of the table with just two wins in eight matches.
But Langer dismissed suggestions that the price tag is affecting Pant’s performances.
“Honestly, I don’t think the money has anything to do with it,” he said. “What I do think is that leadership is a tough position. You’re carrying a lot of pressure.”
According to the former Australian opener, captaincy itself brings expectations that go beyond runs and statistics, particularly in a high-stakes tournament like the IPL.
Leadership under pressure
Langer emphasised that Pant continues to handle pressure with maturity, even as results have not gone LSG’s way.
“He carries it with a smile 98% of the time. The other 2% is tough — but that’s leadership,” he noted.
Despite the team’s struggles, Pant has already delivered at least one match-winning performance this season, and the management believes it is only a matter of time before he regains consistency.
A season slipping away
With LSG currently languishing at the bottom of the points table, their playoff hopes are hanging by a thread. The team will need a near-perfect run in the remaining matches to stay in contention.
Still, Langer struck a tone of resilience, insisting that the team will continue to “front up” and fight till the end.
For Pant, the challenge now is to balance leadership responsibilities with rediscovering his explosive batting form — something fans have come to expect from one of India’s most dynamic cricketers.