As Lucknow Super Giants got knocked out of the IPL 2025 following a six-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, captain Rishabh Pant opened up about the challenges his team faced throughout the season. Speaking after the loss in Lucknow which officially ended their playoff hopes, Rishabh Pant pointed to the gaps such as persistent injury issues and the resulting squad imbalances as major contributors to the team’s decline.
Rishabh Pant revealed that the team had consciously chosen not to dwell on the injuries that plagued them but absence of the key players eventually became too large to ignore. The squad entered the tournament without its full-strength pace attack — Mohsin Khan, Akash Deep, Avesh Khan and Mayank Yadav were all sidelined at the start.
Despite this, LSG managed an encouraging beginning, winning five of their first eight matches. However, even with some of the pacers returning mid-season, the team faltered and slipped into a four-match losing streak that all but derailed their campaign.
He acknowledged that the team had envisioned a stronger season, especially based on how their auction strategy had been laid out. Yet, as often happens in cricket, things didn’t go according to plan. Rishabh Pant admitted that while there were glimpses of the team’s potential, particularly in the batting department, the overall execution was inconsistent. He pointed out that although the bowlers occasionally hit the right areas, their performances lacked the consistency needed at this level.
The challenges extended beyond just the injury list. Rishabh Pant’s own form with the bat was a concern, with just 135 runs across 11 innings. His performance against Sunrisers Hyderabad was another missed opportunity as he was dismissed for just 7 runs off 6 balls despite the team getting off to a strong start with a 115-run opening partnership. LSG eventually posted 205/7 but it wasn’t enough to hold off a determined chase from the Sunrisers, driven by Abhishek Sharma’s solid half-century and a crucial 47-run knock from Heinrich Klaasen.
Rishabh Pant noted that while the batting unit had the power and firepower to compete, they often struggled to seize momentum at key moments. He described their performance as “patchy”, particularly in the second half of the season, where they were unable to keep up with teams in better form.
One of the few bright spots, according to the captain, was the emergence of young bowler Digvesh Rathi. In his debut season, Digvesh Rathi showed promise and claimed two wickets in the game against Hyderabad. Rishabh Pant expressed optimism about Digvesh Rathi’s future but stressed the need for ongoing improvement and adaptation as the IPL evolves.
With only two matches left, against Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, the best Lucknow can now hope for is a fifth-place finish, securing 14 points. However, for a team that once looked like a title contender, the season will be remembered more for what could have been than for what was achieved.
