Rishabh Pant’s bat has gone silent in IPL 2026, and Saba Karim believes it’s because the LSG skipper is yet to decode his white-ball batting blueprint. The former India stumper laid bare his analysis in a candid ESPN Cricinfo interview.
Pant trudged back to the pavilion without scoring against Rajasthan Royals, sealing LSG’s fourth straight defeat. His season stats read 147 runs from seven outings at 132.43 strike rate – respectable, but lacking punch beyond one fifty.
‘Every elite T20 batter needs a personal template,’ Karim asserted. ‘Shreyas Iyer and Rajat Patidar exemplify this; they’d thrive on any surface with predefined aggression. Pant’s issue spans T20s and ODIs – no fixed method. Contrast that with his assured Test approach.’
Critics are piling on. Dale Steyn attributes it to overthinking, Faf du Plessis to peer pressure from form giants Iyer and Patidar. Sanjay Bangar, on GeoSuper, slammed Pant’s tentative start and negative body language versus Royals. ‘With his pedigree, those shots reek of frustration. Sharper focus upfront would unlock his potential.’
IPL 2026’s midway mark amplifies the stakes for Pant, whose leadership and runs are pivotal for LSG’s revival. Will he find his rhythm before it’s too late? The cricketing world watches closely as this talented southpaw grapples with his game’s next evolution.
