“Rishabh Pant is not a finisher” - Cheteshwar Pujara on LSG captain batting at No. 7

Former Indian batter and commentator Cheteshwar Pujara has opened up on Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant coming into bat at No. 7 against the Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on Tuesday, April 22.

Pujara stated that while Pant was trying to emulate MS Dhoni, he couldn’t create an impact, suffering a two-ball duck. Moreover, he added that Pant needs to bat higher up in the order in the middle overs.

“I genuinely don't know what the thought process was. But there's no doubt - he should be batting higher up the order. He's trying to do what MS Dhoni does, but he's nowhere near that level. I still feel he's someone who should be batting during the middle overs, between the 6th and 15th. He's not a finisher, and he shouldn't be doing the job of one,” Pujara told ESPNcricinfo.

Former England batter Nick Knight asserted that though there is some logic in seeing under-performing Pant come down the order, it didn’t go down well with him on the captain not stepping up when his team needed him the most.

"I'm saying this because it's just so bizarre. The way I see it, I don't really have a problem with Badoni batting at 4 or 5. I can see some rationale there—he’s playing well, and honestly, I think he’s more likely to score runs than Pant right now. You could probably say the same about someone like David Miller,” Knight stated.

“So, when you look at it from a decision-making point of view, there’s some logic. But where I really don't like it is how it looks. Pant is your captain, and seeing your captain sliding down the order, taking a step back when the team really needs him to step up—it just doesn’t sit right. He's the one who stands in front of the team, the one leading them out there. And when your leader is going the other way, it doesn’t send a great message. That, more than anything, is my issue,” Knight concluded. 

While LSG scored only 159/6 in 20 overs, DC finished off the chase in 17.5 overs with eight wickets in hand. LSG is currently at the fifth rank in the standings with five wins and four losses, amassing 10 points.

Stay updated with the latest cricket news, match insights, and exclusive updates at BetBarter and download the BetBarter app to start betting today!