Rishabh Pant is set for another Indian Premier League (IPL) season as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). The most expensive player in the league will have to accomplish two targets with only one shot. As the captain of the team, his duty is to guide the troop to the top, and as a player, he will have to prove himself again.
Ahead of the IPL 2026 season, former India opener Aakash Chopra mentioned that Pant is the prisoner of his own reputation. The swashbuckling batter is known for his attacking game, utilizing an unorthodox style of shot-making that has sometimes backfired in recent years.
He is a prisoner of his own reputation: Aakash Chopra
Despite bringing good results on multiple occasions, Rishabh Pant is now outside of the national cricket team. Chopra believes that the keeper-batter should apply some changes to his approach so that he can reclaim his spot in Team India again.
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“The scrutiny around Rishabh Pant is justified. He is a prisoner of his own reputation for playing unorthodox shots and rarely looks to grind out runs when the situation demands it. Last season, despite opportunities to take time and rebuild his form, he continued to play risky shots, which drew criticism,” Chopra said on the JioHotstar.
“Having been part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Barbados, he is now completely out of the conversation for the national side. The selectors and management went from selecting a middle-order keeper to an opener-keeper and a keeper who can bat at number three. While the IPL is massive, representing India remains the ultimate priority, and losing that spot means it’s time for him to go back to the drawing board,” he added.
Why is Rishabh Pant out of Team India?
Chopra further explained that the unique way of Rishabh Pant’s vision about the game makes him apart from the mainstream. The former cricketer turned commentator and cricket expert claimed that Rahul Dravid, former India head coach, was not happy with the southpaw’s batting approach either.
“In Test cricket, he had conversations with Rahul Dravid when he was the head coach. Rahul bhai was not very happy with Pant’s batting approach. To give credit where it’s due, Pant sees the game very differently from most of us who see it conventionally,” Chopra claimed.
Rishabh Pant to take lessons from Yuvraj Singh
The batter himself might have realised that he needs to transform his infamous batting approach. Pant expressed his desire to take lessons from former India cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who is guiding the stars like Abhishek Sharma, Priyansh Arya, and Prabhsimran Singh.
“The fact that he has approached Yuvraj Singh for help shows he acknowledges that he needs guidance, help, and assistance. That is a great sign. With the quality, talent, and skills he has, it is a travesty that he is not killing it in white-ball cricket”, Aakash Chopra said.
Meanwhile, Pant’s last match for India was the second Test against South Africa at Guwahati, from November 22-26, 2025, where he scored only 7 and 13 runs in the first and second innings, respectively.
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