Rishabh Pant has opened the batting only 23 times in his T20 career spanning nearly a decade, with just seven of those appearances coming in the Indian Premier League. Five of those came during his debut IPL season in 2016 for Delhi, while the remaining two instances have been with Lucknow Super Giants.
Lucknow had experimented with Pant’s batting position last season as well, notably in a game against Gujarat Titans. However, heading into this match, the focus had largely been on who would slot in at No. 3 for the franchise, with the choice seemingly between Mitchell Marsh and Pant. Instead, in a surprising tactical move, both batters walked out to open the innings after Lucknow were put in to bat first.
The gamble, however, did not yield the desired result. Pant managed just seven runs off nine balls before being dismissed in a bizarre run-out, triggering early instability in the innings as the rest of the batting line-up struggled to recover.
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Speaking after the defeat, Pant explained that the move was a calculated tactical decision rather than an impulsive shuffle. The idea, he said, was to create a left-right combination at the top and disrupt the opposition’s bowling plans, particularly targeting the use of left-arm spin.
“I think the idea was very simple, with Nicholas Pooran taking charge in the middle overs. He’s not batting in the top order anymore because I’m batting up the order. And the swipe happened because we wanted to explore that left-right option at the top, so they couldn’t bowl a left-arm spinner. Unfortunately, I got out at the wrong time. Otherwise, Axar still had to bowl one over in the power play, and that gives us the edge over them. But at the same time, you know, this is part and parcel of the game, and that’s the role we are defining for Ayush Badoni. You know, when the situation is tough like that, when we lose an early wicket, that’s the time he needs to make a mark,” Pant told the broadcasters.
When asked whether the franchise would persist with Pant as an opener going forward, the skipper stopped short of offering a definitive answer but indicated that his role higher up the order is likely to continue.
“It’s a 50-50 call, we’ll see. But you will definitely see me in the top,” he said.
Lucknow will next face Sunrisers Hyderabad on April 5 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
