“Not working”: Former MI head coach urged Rishabh Pant to give up leadership rol – Not working: Former MI head coach urged Rishabh Pant to give up leadership role
A Critical Juncture for Rishabh Pant
The landscape of the Indian Premier League is often unforgiving, and few players are currently feeling the heat as intensely as Rishabh Pant. Following two consecutive, underwhelming seasons at the helm of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), the explosive wicket-keeper batter finds himself at a career crossroads. The pressure of leadership, compounded by a high-profile price tag, appears to be taking a toll on his primary asset: his destructive batting prowess.
The Mark Boucher Perspective
Mark Boucher, the former South African wicket-keeper and one-time head coach of the Mumbai Indians, has offered a stark assessment of the situation. Speaking on a recent episode of ESPNcricinfo Timeout, Boucher did not mince his words regarding the compatibility of Pant’s leadership and his individual performance.
“Rishabh Pant, the cricketer and his leadership are not working together,” Boucher stated. “We have seen that for a couple of seasons now. He hasn’t produced what he is expected to produce. Not everyone is like Rishabh Pant.”
Boucher emphasized that the mental weight of captaincy might be hindering Pant’s natural game. “There are certain players who need to prepare properly. You need to be able to sit down with your captain and explain your line of thinking. He needs to understand that as well. We all want to see Pant hitting the ball all over the ground. If the captaincy is getting in the way, then get rid of the captaincy,” he added.
The Statistical Reality
The numbers from the 2026 season highlight the disconnect. Across 14 matches, Pant accumulated 312 runs at a strike rate of 138. While this reflects a marginal improvement over his 2025 campaign, it remains far below the ceiling of what fans expect from a player bought for a staggering INR 27 crores. LSG’s performance as a unit has suffered significantly under his tenure; in 28 matches across two seasons, the team recorded only 10 victories, culminating in a last-place finish in the 2026 standings with a mere eight points.
Ambati Rayudu’s Technical Insight
It is not just Boucher who believes a change is necessary. Former Chennai Super Kings stalwart Ambati Rayudu echoed similar sentiments, albeit with a focus on the psychological demands of captaincy. Rayudu argued that the methodical nature of leading a franchise may be antithetical to the instinctive style that defines Pant’s cricket.
“For someone who always relies on instinct, it is so hard for him to prepare everything and be methodical in terms of his decisions,” Rayudu noted. “Either you give him captaincy and let him be the way he is, or you don’t give him captaincy. He cannot change his personality overnight. He has a certain way of captaining. If that is not working, the best thing he can do is be a player and enjoy his cricket and perform for the team.”
What Lies Ahead?
The consensus among the experts is clear: Rishabh Pant is currently caught between two worlds. The expectation upon his signing with LSG was that he would replicate the impact of players like Shreyas Iyer, providing both tactical direction and consistent match-winning knocks. However, the current reality suggests that the added burden of tactical decision-making is blunting his edge.
As the dust settles on the IPL 2026 season, the management at Lucknow Super Giants faces a defining decision. Does the franchise persist with Pant as a leader in the hope that he eventually grows into the role, or do they heed the advice of seasoned veterans like Boucher and Rayudu? By removing the shackles of captaincy, the franchise might not only save its own future but also help one of India’s most gifted cricketers reclaim his status as a global T20 icon. For Pant, the path back to the top may well start with the simple act of stepping aside.
