Rishabh Pant's IPL 2026 has not gone ideal for the LSG captain. (Reuters Photo)

Rishabh Pant's Rs 27 crore price tag under scrutiny? Langer defends LSG captain

IPL 2026: Justin Langer defended Rishabh Pant's form and tactical calls after Lucknow Super Giants lost to Mumbai Indians. The support came as Pant's modest returns and LSG's inability to sustain strong positions stayed under focus.

05 May 2026, 04:46 by Debodinna Chakraborty · India Today

In Short

Pant moved himself to number 4, reshuffling LSG's top order against MI
He has 204 runs in nine innings at 24.50 this season
Starts have come for Pant, but substantial innings have remained elusive

Rishabh Pant’s form in IPL 2026 has come under the scanner, with Lucknow Super Giants struggling to turn results around. But head coach Justin Langer has firmly backed his captain, brushing aside any talk around pressure linked to his price tag.

Speaking after LSG’s loss to Mumbai Indians on May 4, Langer defended Pant’s decisions and form, even as questions grew around his batting position and returns this season.

MI vs LSG: HIGHLIGHTS | SCORECARD

“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’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 said.

Pant’s role in the XI has also been under focus. Against MI, he dropped himself down to number four, promoting Josh Inglis to open alongside Mitchell Marsh, with Nicholas Pooran moving up to number three in what was described as a “selfless” call by the coach.

HOW HAS RISHABH PANT’S FORM BEEN IN IPL 2026?

The numbers tell the story.

Pant has scored 204 runs in nine innings this season, averaging 24.50 with a strike rate of 128.30. For a player expected to anchor and accelerate in the middle overs, those returns have felt underwhelming.

The bigger concern has been the pattern. Starts have come, but the big innings haven’t. Against MI, Pant again got in but couldn’t push on, scoring 15 off 10 balls before falling at a time when LSG needed control.

“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,” Langer added.

At the same time, Langer pointed to signs of rhythm returning, revealing that Pant had struck 95 in a recent practice game, suggesting that the form may not be far away.

HOW MI DEFEATED LSG

The match itself summed up LSG’s season. They started strong, with Pooran smashing 63 off just 21 balls and Marsh adding 44 off 25 as LSG raced past 120 inside eight overs. At that stage, a 230-plus total looked certain.

But a quick collapse changed things. Corbin Bosch removed both Pooran and Marsh, and LSG slipped from 123 for 1 to 160 for 5. A late unbeaten 68-run stand between Aiden Markram and Himmat Singh pushed them to 228 for 5.

It still wasn’t enough.

MI’s chase was built on a dominant 143-run opening stand between Rohit Sharma (84 off 44) and Ryan Rickelton (83 off 32), which effectively took the game away early.

Even a brief wobble in the middle overs didn’t derail them. Naman Dhir’s quick 23 not out and a finishing six from Will Jacks sealed the chase with eight balls to spare.

For MI, it was a much-needed win. For LSG, and Pant, the pressure continues to build.

- Ends