Akash Deep Says Rishabh Pant Is Facing ‘Bad Timing’, Not Pressure, in IPL 2025
Lucknow Super Giants pacer Akash Deep has come out in support of his under-fire captain Rishabh Pant, who has endured a rough IPL 2025 season with both bat and leadership responsibilities. The fast bowler believes Pant is simply going through a phase of “bad timing” rather than buckling under pressure.
“Look, I feel that in cricket, timing is also something very important,” Akash Deep said in a press interaction ahead of LSG’s final league game. “I don’t think it’s about pressure because Rishabh has played a lot of high-level cricket and performed consistently. An athlete who has achieved so much in life knows how to handle pressure. Sometimes, even when you want things to work out, they just don’t. I feel that’s the phase Rishabh is going through right now.”
Pant, the most expensive player in IPL history at Rs 27 crore, has been far from his best this season. In 13 matches, the left-handed batter has scored just 151 runs at a dismal average of 13.73 and a strike rate below 100. His highest score—63 off 49 balls—came against Chennai Super Kings in a match that had little bearing on LSG’s playoff hopes.
This disappointing run follows his omission from India’s playing XI in the Champions Trophy earlier this year, a decision that many believed would motivate Pant to come back stronger. Instead, his struggles have only intensified, culminating in a poor outing in a must-win clash where he managed just seven runs.
With Lucknow failing to qualify for the playoffs despite big investments and high expectations, Pant’s role as captain has also come under the scanner. Critics have questioned his tactical decisions and on-field composure during crunch situations.
However, the Super Giants did have some bright spots this season. The overseas trio of Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh, and Nicholas Pooran shone with the bat—especially Pooran, who emerged as the standout performer for the franchise. In a dominant performance against Gujarat Titans, they powered LSG to 235/2, showcasing their firepower.
The bowling department also delivered under pressure despite dealing with a string of injuries. New recruit Will O’Rourke, brought in as a replacement for Mayank Yadav, impressed with his pace and accuracy. Meanwhile, young spinner Digvesh Rathi, hailed as the team’s biggest discovery this year, is set to return after serving a one-match suspension for aggressive celebrations.
While LSG’s playoff dream ended prematurely, the franchise is hopeful that a refreshed Rishabh Pant will bounce back stronger in the seasons to come.
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