Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has highlighted the intense preparation Rishabh Pant is undergoing with veteran Yuvraj Singh ahead of the Indian Premier League 2026. The Lucknow Super Giants captain finds himself at a defining moment in his career, especially after a disappointing IPL 2025 season where he entered as the most expensive player in the history of the tournament. The campaign did not go as expected, with Pant struggling with the bat even as captain.
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The hinge has endured a significant dip in form in white-ball cricket in recent years. He has largely served as a back-up wicketkeeper in India’s ODI set-up, making just one appearance in the last three-and-a-half years. He also lost his place in the T20Is after the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, with Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson moving up the order.
In an effort to rediscover his best form, Pant is partnering with Yuvraj Singhwho mentored players like Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma. According to Pathan, the focus was on the mental side of the game rather than the technical changes.
“It is very important that Rishabh Pant gets to bat during the power-over. Nicholas Pooran has been batting at No. 3 for them, but Rishabh Pant has to be locked in batting at No. 3 to get to bat in the power-over. So I believe it is enough to lock it down. After working with Yuvraj Singh, I spoke to Yuvi and Yuvi told me about the mental aspects of the game that more than the technical aspects of the game. 3-4 hours were spent just talking,” Pathan said on his YouTube channel.
Pant has struggled not only with the bat but also with the management during IPL 2025. He often engaged in animated discussions on the field, reflecting the pressure he was under. His captaincy was also questioned by Faf du Plessis. However, Pathan believes Pant still has the ability and the results.
“There will be a lot of responsibility on Rishabh Pant. We’ll have to see what he does to make this team qualify. Whatever I’ve seen of him, he looks more fit and focused. He spent 4-5 days with Yuvraj Singh as well. Now we’ll have to see how he takes that learning on the field. He seemed to enjoy it under pressure last year. Patrick seemed to enjoy himself last year. Cket. Cket.
“Rishabh Pant has done well in this league; he has an average of 34 and a strike rate of around 150 and has scored 3,500 runs. It shows that you have shown your dominance in this league. The performances are there, the winning innings are there, but it has to go on,” he added.
Pant did not bat during LSG’s practice game on March 24 but is expected to be the franchise’s No. 3 in IPL 2026.
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Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
March 26, 2026 1:33 PM IST
