Two months ago, Rishabh Pant was sweating it out in Chennai’s pre-season IPL heat. There was reason to be concerned. His stocks in India’s white-ball setup were at an all-time low — he was nowhere near the T20 World Cup-winning squad, and his last ODI appearance was in August 2024. No longer India’s first-choice wicket-keeper in white-ball cricket, Pant arrived looking lighter, sharper. Interacting with Yuvraj Singh in Mumbai before the season, he stressed the finer points — bat swing, shape retention, clarity of shots. The intent was to force his way back in.
Two months on, in Chennai on Sunday, Pant was frozen by a Jamie Overton delivery that rushed him in the crease. The Lucknow Super Giants skipper was bowled for 15, dropping the momentum built by Josh Inglis’s 33-ball 87. A cluster of wickets followed. LSG settled at 203 and fell short. After eight defeats, Pant has also run out of excuses to explain his team’s rut.
The Overton dismissal exposed a weakness now extending to his defensive game — long considered a hallmark in Test cricket. As the ball skidded in towards off-stump from over the wicket, Pant’s bat failed to cover the line. Inside edge, back onto the stumps.