"Rishabh Pant Scored 95 Off 30": LSG Coach's Revelation Stumps All In Press Conference
Lucknow Super Giants coach Justin Langer doesn't feel Rishabh Pant is feeling the burden of Rs 27 crore price tag, but he did admit that captaincy is a role that comes with pressure.
- Rishabh Pant scored 15 runs at number four in LSG's loss to Mumbai Indians
- Pant selflessly demoted himself in batting order to let Pooran play freely
- LSG coach Justin Langer revealed that Pant had scored 95 runs off 30 balls in a practice game before MI match
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) coach Justin Langer addressed another critical press conference after the franchise suffered a defeat against the Mumbai Indians (MI) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 match on Monday. Following the loss, LSG remained at the bottom of the points table, with only two wins in eight matches. With the franchise's campaign almost over, Langer was questioned on several aspects of the game, though the primary focus remained on Rishabh Pant's captaincy.
The LSG captain has struggled to find form, and his decisions to constantly shuffle the batting order have become a topic of debate. Against Mumbai, Pant promoted Josh Inglis to open the batting alongside Mitchell Marsh, while Nicholas Pooran batted at the number three spot.
Pant himself came out at number four but scored only 15 runs before being dismissed. When asked about Pant's performance, Langer noted that the captain had scored 95 runs off approximately 30 or 40 balls in a practice game a couple of days prior, but failed to execute the same in the match.
"We played a practice game here two days ago, and Rishi (Rishabh Pant), I'm not sure of the exact final score, maybe 95 off 40 or 30 balls-you're just looking at it and you go, 'Oh my gosh, that's Rishabh Pant at his very best.'
"So, he's a very good player; we know that. We've seen him in Test cricket destroy teams at number five, and we felt today, given that and the way he played just two days ago after a seven-day break, that it might be a good option for the team," he said.
Langer also revealed that it was Pant's 'selfless' decision to demote himself in the batting order. The move initially appeared successful, as Nicholas Pooran scored a blazing 63 off 21 balls before being dismissed.
"He selflessly moved down the order to let Nicky P bat, whose batting was unbelievable. So yeah, Rishi's not far off. As a captain in the IPL, or as a coach, you've got to keep fronting up, don't you? That's all you can do, and he'll keep fronting up and hopefully help us get some wins over the next few games," he asserted.
Pressure of the Rs 2.7 Crore Price Tag?
Pant was bought by the Lucknow franchise for a record fee of Rs 27 crore after leaving the Delhi Capitals. The LSG coach was asked if the title of being the 'most expensive player in IPL history' is weighing on Pant's shoulders. The former Australia batter, however, does not believe that is the case.
"Honestly, I don't think the money has anything to do with it; I don't think that has anything to do with it at all. What I do think is that leadership is a tough position, you're carrying lots of pressure, and he knows that," he said.
"He's carrying a lot of pressure for the team, and he does it, like all of us, with a smile on his face 98% of the time. The other 2% of the time, it's tough. But he's chipping away, he's working hard and, as I say, he's had a match-winning game earlier in the season. We love it when we see him smiling and playing that swashbuckling style of play, and he's not far off," Langer explained.
Lucknow Super Giants
Mumbai Indians
Rishabh Pant