Major flaw in Rishabh Pant’s T20 approach spotted by Wasim Jaffer

Rishabh Pant found his rhythm with the bat in the match against Chennai Super Kings, but former India opener Wasim Jaffer pointed out a major flaw in his T20 game: an inability to rotate the strike consistently.

Pant Scores 63 But Fails to Make a Match-Winning Impact

Rishabh Pant, who had scored just 40 runs in six IPL 2025 matches before facing Chennai Super Kings (CSK), showed signs of recovery with a 63-run knock off 49 balls at the Ekana Stadium. However, his effort went in vain as CSK chased down the target of 167 with five wickets and three balls to spare.

Pant’s innings was not fluent as he consumed 21 dot balls, struggling especially against spin bowler Noor Ahmad. His strike rate suffered as he reached 38 off 38 balls at one point before accelerating in the final overs.

Wasim Jaffer Criticizes Pant’s Lack of Intent in Strike Rotation

Speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s ‘Timeout’, Wasim Jaffer dissected Pant’s performance, emphasizing that the LSG captain often gets “stuck” during the middle overs. He compared Pant’s approach unfavorably with Virat Kohli’s mastery in keeping the scoreboard ticking.

“I don’t know whether he looks to rotate the strike. Virat Kohli is a master at that. He gets off strike so nicely as he can play all around. But Pant sometimes does get stuck, and that’s the issue,” said Jaffer.

He further pointed out Pant’s one-dimensional approach in shot selection.

“I feel he never looks to hit straight. He always looks to go towards the leg side. At the start of the innings, he was always looking to go towards square leg or cow corner, or attempt that reverse scoop. He needs to access the ground more in front of the wicket,” Jaffer added.

LSG’s Tactical Missteps Raise Eyebrows

Despite setting a competitive target of 166, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) suffered their third loss in IPL 2025. Questions surrounded the decision not to complete Ravi Bishnoi’s quota of overs, especially when MS Dhoni was at the crease. Bishnoi, known for troubling batters like Dhoni with his variations, bowled just three overs.

CSK capitalized with Dhoni (26* off 11) and Shivam Dube (43* off 37) stitching an unbeaten 57-run stand to secure victory. The lack of spin in the final overs allowed the experienced duo to finish the match without pressure.

LSG’s Position in Points Table

Following this defeat, Lucknow Super Giants remained in fourth place with 8 points from 7 matches. Rishabh Pant’s side will next face Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, April 19.

Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, and Instagram