In a bold tactical move, Lucknow Super Giants surprised many by sending Rishabh Pant to open the innings alongside Aiden Markram in their IPL 2025 clash against Gujarat Titans. This decision came in the wake of Mitchell Marsh’s absence due to his child’s illness, forcing LSG to bring in Himmat Singh and reshuffle their batting order.
Pant, who has largely played in the middle order in recent years, returned to the top for the first time since 2022. The last time he opened in T20s was for India against New Zealand in Napier. Before today, Pant had opened in T20s on 21 occasions, scoring 644 runs at an average of 32.2 and an impressive strike rate of 162.21. His record included five half-centuries and one century—numbers that underline his explosive potential when facing the new ball.
The pressure is high on Pant, who has struggled for form this season, but LSG will hope this promotion sparks a turnaround in his performance.
Earlier in the evening, Gujarat Titans posted a competitive 180/6 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. Despite a few middle-order hiccups, GT accelerated in the final overs, adding 45 runs in the last five. Shahrukh Khan chipped in with an 11-run cameo, while Rashid Khan remained unbeaten on 4. Among LSG’s bowlers, Avesh Khan and Shardul Thakur stood out with two wickets apiece.
With a new opening combination and a big total to chase, all eyes are now on how Pant fares in this high-pressure scenario.
