Former Indian batsman Ambati Rayudu has offered some strong suggestions for Rishabh Pant, who has been struggling with his form in the ongoing IPL season. Ambati Rayudu has urged Rishabh Pant to drop his stubbornness and consider opening in white-ball cricket, stating that his current approach is not benefiting him. Rishabh Pant’s lack of runs has been a key issue for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and Ambati Rayudu believes the left-hander needs a change in strategy to get back to his best.
Rishabh Pant’s struggles this season have been glaring, with the wicketkeeper-batsman managing only 128 runs in 10 innings, including one half-century and five single-digit scores. Despite being the costliest player in the IPL at Rs 27 crore, Rishabh Pant has not been able to live up to expectations. His disappointing performance in the match against Punjab Kings in Dharamsala has only added to his woes. Ambati Rayudu, who was speaking on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out, expressed sympathy for Rishabh Pant, saying the batsman needs to acknowledge his struggles and adapt his approach.
Ambati Rayudu on Rishabh Pant’s Stubbornness
Ambati Rayudu pointed out that Rishabh Pant’s refusal to change his batting order and approach might be contributing to his poor form. “It’s not working in his favour at the moment,” Ambati Rayudu said, noting that every player goes through bad patches, but it’s essential to learn from them. He encouraged Rishabh Pant to stop being so stubborn and accept his current struggles. By doing so, he could work on adjusting his game and improving with each passing day.
Rishabh Pant’s Future as an Opener
One of the main suggestions Ambati Rayudu had for Rishabh Pant was to consider opening in white-ball cricket, particularly in limited-overs formats. Ambati Rayudu mentioned that Rishabh Pant has not been as effective in the middle-order and that he doesn’t possess the right mindset and skill set to thrive there. While acknowledging Rishabh Pant’s love for playing in the middle, Ambati Rayudu believes that opening might be a better role for him in white-ball cricket, where he could utilize his attacking style to greater effect.
With Lucknow Super Giants struggling in the tournament, sitting at 10 points from 11 matches, their hopes of making the play-offs are slim. To progress, they need to win all their remaining matches and rely on favorable results from other teams.
