Rs 27 Crore Pressure? Rishabh Pant’s IPL 2026 Struggles Explained

Where has the old Rishabh Pant gone in T20 cricket?

When Rishabh Pant was picked for a record-breaking ₹27 crore in the IPL auction, fans expected fireworks straight away. Rishabh Pant wasn’t bought just as a wicketkeeper or batter — Lucknow Super Giants saw him as the face of the team, a leader who could change games on his own and bring fearless energy to the squad. Considering Pant’s reputation in white-ball cricket, the huge price tag didn’t surprise many people at the time.

But now, as IPL 2026 moves deeper into the season, the conversation around Pant has completely changed. Instead of talking about match-winning knocks and explosive innings, fans and experts are asking one big question — what exactly has happened to him in T20 cricket?

The same batter who once attacked bowlers without any fear now looks under pressure almost every time he walks out to bat. Earlier, Pant used to play freely, trust his instincts, and dominate bowlers from the very beginning. Now, his batting feels unsure and inconsistent. Sometimes he starts too slowly, sometimes he throws away his wicket after getting settled, and at times he simply doesn’t look confident at the crease.

What’s worrying for Lucknow is that this poor form is not just about a few failed innings. His struggles have been visible for quite some time now, and many fans feel that Pant hasn’t looked like his old self in T20 cricket for the last couple of seasons. For a player known for fearless strokeplay and game-changing ability, the sudden drop in impact has become one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2026.

A Record Price Tag, But Ordinary Numbers

Coming into IPL 2026, Rishabh Pant had massive expectations on his shoulders after Lucknow Super Giants spent a record ₹27 crore to bring him into the squad. Fans expected him to dominate bowlers, finish games, and lead the team from the front. But so far, things haven’t really gone according to plan.

In the first half of the season, Pant managed only around 200 runs, and even his strike rate stayed close to 128. In today’s fast-paced T20 cricket, those numbers are considered below average for a player of his reputation.

Modern IPL batting is all about attacking from the start and keeping the pressure on bowlers. Batters like Nicholas Pooran, Heinrich Klaasen, and Travis Head are scoring at strike rates above 150 regularly and completely changing the way T20 cricket is being played.

Pant, on the other hand, looks stuck between playing safe and playing aggressively. Sometimes he looks too cautious at the start, and when he finally tries to attack, he ends up losing his wicket. That confusion in approach is hurting not just Pant’s own performance but also Lucknow’s batting momentum.

The biggest difference compared to the old Pant is the fearlessness that once made him special. Earlier, he used to walk in and take on bowlers without thinking too much. He attacked spinners confidently, played unbelievable shots against pacers, and trusted his natural game completely. Bowlers never felt comfortable when Pant was at the crease because he could change the match in just a few overs.

But this season, that confidence and natural flow seem missing. Instead of putting bowlers under pressure, Pant often looks like he is trying too hard to settle in first. He has been getting stuck during the middle overs, struggling to rotate strike consistently, and then getting out while trying to suddenly increase the scoring rate.

What makes it more frustrating for fans is that many of his dismissals have come after getting a decent start. He reaches 20 or 30, looks set for a big innings, and then throws it away. That usually happens when a batter is not mentally clear about his game plan.

And honestly, the worrying part is not just the lack of runs. Great players can go through bad form. The bigger issue is that Rishabh Pant no longer looks in control of the game the way he once did. Earlier, he used to dominate bowlers and dictate the pace of the innings. Now, at times, it feels like bowlers are controlling him instead.

Is Captaincy Affecting Him?

A big reason behind Rishabh Pant’s struggles this season could simply be the pressure of captaincy. Leading an IPL team is never easy, especially when you are also expected to be the main match-winner with the bat.

This is something even Justin Langer recently spoke about while defending Pant during a press interaction. The Lucknow Super Giants head coach made it clear that the team still has complete faith in their captain and understands how difficult it can be to handle so much responsibility at once.

Langer also shared an interesting detail that surprised many fans. According to him, Pant had scored a brilliant 95 in a practice game just before the clash against Mumbai Indians. That innings proved one thing very clearly — the talent has not disappeared. His timing, shot-making ability, and natural attacking game are still there somewhere.

And honestly, that is what makes his poor form even more confusing.

It’s not like Pant suddenly forgot how to bat. The bigger issue seems mental rather than technical. On the field, he looks like a player carrying too many things in his head at the same time.

As captain, Pant is not only thinking about his own batting anymore. He has to manage bowling changes, field placements, batting-order decisions, team combinations, and match situations almost every over. On top of that, he is constantly facing questions from the media and dealing with the pressure that comes with being the most expensive player in IPL history.

The ₹27 crore price tag has only increased the spotlight on him. Every low score immediately becomes a talking point on television and social media. Every tactical mistake gets discussed by experts. In a tournament like the IPL, where reactions change after every match, pressure builds up very fast.

Sometimes, it even feels like Pant is trying too hard to justify his price tag and captaincy role instead of just playing the fearless cricket that made him famous in the first place.

T20 Cricket Has Changed Rapidly

Another important thing people need to understand is that T20 cricket itself has changed a lot in the last few years. The game has become much faster and far more aggressive than before. Today, teams don’t just want batters who can score runs — they want players who can attack from the very first ball and keep the run rate high throughout the innings.

In modern T20 cricket, strike rate matters almost as much as consistency. Teams are ready to accept risky cricket if the scoring stays explosive. That’s why players who play fearlessly without worrying too much about getting out are becoming more valuable.

And this is where Rishabh Pant seems slightly out of sync with the current style of T20 batting.

Earlier in his career, Pant’s game looked unique and unpredictable. The shots he played felt shocking and exciting because very few batters had that kind of fearless approach. He could completely change the momentum of a match within a few overs, and bowlers genuinely struggled to plan against him.

But now, T20 cricket has moved to another level altogether. Aggressive batting is no longer something rare — it has become normal. Young players are attacking from ball one without hesitation. Batters like Abhishek Sharma and Jake Fraser-McGurk are scoring at unbelievable strike rates and putting bowlers under pressure instantly.

Compared to them, Pant currently looks more cautious. Instead of dominating the innings, he often appears to be trying to settle down first and rebuild the innings slowly. That approach sometimes works in ODI cricket, but in today’s IPL, teams expect impact almost immediately from star T20 batters.

Because of that, Pant’s overall influence on games has reduced a lot this season.

Another major factor behind all this could simply be the pressure created by his massive auction price. Whether cricketers admit it publicly or not, money always brings expectations. And when a franchise spends ₹27 crore on a player, people naturally expect extraordinary performances every single match.

Since becoming the most expensive player in IPL history, Pant has been under constant scrutiny. Every innings gets analyzed ball by ball. If he scores slowly, people question his intent. If he attacks and gets out, people question his shot selection. Even small tactical decisions as captain immediately become topics of debate on television and social media.

Former cricketers and experts have also spoken about whether the record-breaking price tag is becoming a mental burden for Pant. In a tournament like the IPL, pressure spreads very quickly, especially when performances are not going your way.

Pant himself may never openly say that he feels the pressure, but sometimes body language says a lot more than words. Earlier, he used to look relaxed, expressive, and full of energy on the field. This season, however, he has often looked tense and frustrated. The carefree attitude and natural smile that fans associated with Pant seem to be missing more often now.

The Injury Factor Nobody Talks About Enough

Rishabh Pant’s terrible car accident in 2022 probably affected him in more ways than people realize. Physically, he worked incredibly hard to recover and make a comeback to international cricket, which itself was a huge achievement. But injuries like that don’t just impact the body — they can also affect confidence, mindset, movement, and the natural freedom with which a player performs on the field.

Before the accident, Pant’s batting style was completely fearless. He played on instinct, reacted quickly, and never looked worried about consequences. Whether it was a risky reverse sweep or an aggressive shot against fast bowlers, he trusted his natural game fully.

Now though, there are moments where he looks slightly more cautious and calculated than before. It may not always be obvious, but even a tiny bit of hesitation can make a huge difference in T20 cricket. In this format, players often have only a fraction of a second to decide whether to attack, defend, or improvise.

Pant’s entire batting style was built around quick reactions and natural instinct. So if that spontaneity reduces even slightly, his game automatically becomes less dangerous. Sometimes this season, he has looked like a player thinking too much instead of reacting naturally.

Interestingly, Lucknow Super Giants’s overall IPL 2026 campaign has reflected Pant’s personal form almost perfectly. Some matches, the team has looked explosive, confident, and capable of beating anyone. But in other games, they have appeared confused and completely out of rhythm.

One major reason behind that inconsistency has been the constantly changing batting order. Pant has experimented with different positions for himself as well as other batters throughout the season. Against Mumbai Indians, he even pushed himself lower down the order so that other players could bat more freely at the top.

Some people appreciated that decision and called it smart, selfless captaincy. They felt Pant was putting the team ahead of himself. But others saw it differently. Many fans and experts wondered whether Pant himself was uncertain about where he should actually bat.

And honestly, that confusion seems visible across the whole franchise right now. The team often looks like it is still searching for its best combination, best batting order, and clearest approach. When the captain himself is struggling for rhythm and confidence, that uncertainty can slowly spread through the entire dressing room as well.

Can Pant Still Return to His Best?

Still, completely writing off Rishabh Pant would be a huge mistake. Players with his level of talent don’t suddenly become ordinary overnight. People sometimes forget that this is the same cricketer who has won difficult overseas Test matches for India, dominated world-class bowling attacks under pressure, and played some of the most fearless counterattacking innings modern cricket has seen.

More importantly, this is also a player who survived a near-fatal car accident and somehow fought his way back to international cricket. That alone shows the kind of mental strength and determination Pant has.

Class like that never disappears permanently.

But right now, Pant is probably facing the toughest phase of his cricket career. This challenge is not just about scoring runs — it’s about rediscovering the version of himself that made him special in the first place. And that becomes difficult because T20 cricket itself has changed so quickly over the last few years.

In many ways, it feels like Pant is trying too hard to fit into the modern T20 template instead of trusting his natural instincts. Earlier, his batting was exciting because it was unpredictable and fearless. He played with freedom, reacted naturally, and never looked afraid of failure. Sometimes his style looked chaotic, but that chaos was exactly what made him dangerous for bowlers.

Now, he often appears more calculated and cautious. And honestly, the more Pant tries to become a perfectly controlled T20 batter, the more he moves away from the qualities that made him unique.

Maybe the real solution for him is actually very simple — stop overthinking and just play naturally again.

Because Pant’s struggles in IPL 2026 are clearly about much more than just bad form. There are so many things happening around him at the same time. The pressure of captaincy, the expectations that come with a ₹27 crore price tag, constant public scrutiny, changing T20 demands, and the mental impact of returning after such a serious accident — all of it has probably added extra weight on his shoulders.

And in today’s IPL, even small doubts can quickly become big problems because the competition is more ruthless than ever before.

Still, despite everything, Pant remains the kind of player who can change the entire narrative with just one innings. One explosive knock, one fearless performance, and suddenly all the criticism could disappear.

That’s the thing about players like Rishabh Pant — form may come and go, confidence may rise and fall, but genuine match-winning talent never truly fades away.