Rishabh Pant's struggles in T20 cricket continue, with a bizzare run-out compounding his poor run of form in the shortest format. The Lucknow Super Giants captain decided to promote himself to the top of the order in their Indian Premier League 2026 season opener against Delhi Capitals on Wednesday.
However, the night ended in an unfortunate manner for the explosive left-hander with a freak run-out seeing him walk back with just 7 runs.
Once seen as a game-changer across formats, Pant's red-ball credentials remain beyond doubt, but his returns in the shortest format over the past two years have failed to match that reputation.
Pant faced intense scrutiny last season after entering IPL 2025 as the most expensive player in the league's history, following his Rs 27-crore move to LSG.
ALSO READ | Neither Bored, Nor Lazy: Mohammed Shami Hits Back At Retirement Talk Amid India Exile
Despite a late unbeaten century inflating his numbers, the overall returns painted a worrying picture, with just 269 runs in 14 innings at an average of 26.14. More concerning was the extended slump at the start of the season, where he managed just 135 runs in his first 12 matches at an average of 12.27 and a strike rate of 100.00.
Adding to the issue has been the lack of a fixed role. Pant was shuffled across the order, opening the innings once and floating between No. 3 to No. 5, without any sustained success.
That uncertainty seems to have carried into IPL 2026, with LSG once again experimenting by promoting him to the top of the order. The result, however, remained unchanged, though this time through no fault of his own.
After starting brightly with a boundary in the first over, Pant's innings was cut short in the third over, when he was caught short of safety at the non-striker's end.
Mitchell Marsh punched the ball firmly back down the ground, only for Mukesh Kumar to get a hand to it in his follow-through. The ball deflected sharply onto the stumps at the non-striker's end, catching Pant well out of his crease as he backed up. With no time to recover, the LSG skipper was run out in unusual fashion.
Here's a look at that dismissal.
While the nature of the dismissal was largely incidental, the context around it will continue to raise questions.
Another experiment at the top of the order failed, with LSG ultimately folding for just 142 in the first innings.
For Pant, it's another low score added to a growing list of failed T20 outings. The immediate challenge for the naturally attacking player will be about regaining the clarity that once made him one of India's most disruptive white-ball match-winners.
ALSO READ | AI Replacing Umpires? CPL's April Fools' Prank Triggers Debate On Cricket's Tech Future
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.