"Rishabh Pant Should Bat At...": LSG Send Massive IPL 2025 Message By Ex-CSK Star

Former India left-handed batter Suresh Raina believes Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant should bat at number four as it would allow him to have a crack at finishing the innings in IPL 2025 season. Pant, the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter, did not play for India in the ODIs against England and in the victorious Champions Trophy campaign, as KL Rahul was the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. Moreover, with Sanju Samson making centuries against Bangladesh and South Africa in T20Is, it means that Pant has gone a bit down in the pecking order in the shortest format as well. In IPL 2025, as Lucknow Super Giants skipper, Pant will need a terrific season with the bat to be back in the India T20I set-up.

“I think this (season) will be very important for him. As you rightly said, he is not in that scheme currently. But I think if you see his captaincy, he is very cheerful and very innovative. He has that calmness and astute leadership. I really want him to play at number three.

“But looking at their squad, they have Pooran, David Miller, and Aiden Markram, I think he will be batting number four, as then they have a lot of depth in their batting line-up. So I really want him to bat at number four, as then probably he can play the role of finishing the innings for the LSG. But I think this IPL will change his fortune,” said Raina, an IPL expert for JioStar, to IANS in a virtual interaction prior to the 18th edition of the tournament.

Pant, who became IPL's most expensive player when LSG roped him in for a record INR 27 crore at last year's mega auction, had previously led Delhi Capitals in 43 matches. Raina also feels Pant has his task cut out in captaining LSG, as pacers Mayank Yadav, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep and Mohsin Khan