Former India spinner Wasim Jaffer has advised the Lucknow Super Giants management to drop Rishabh Pant as captain and hand him over to Aiden Markram after the loss against Kolkata Knight Riders. The defeat meant that Lucknow have now lost six out of eight matches they played this season.
The trousers were imported for Rs 27 lakh change the fortunes of the team. However, LSG have now lost eight matches on the trot at the Ekana Stadium, leaving their IPL 2026 campaign in trouble. With fans growing restless, Jaffer said it would be an ideal time to hand over the reins to Markram, who is the captain of the South Africa T20I team.
Jaffer also suggested a change in the batting order, saying LSG should open with Mitchell Marsh and Markram, followed by Nicholas Pooran at No.3 and then Pant.
“LSG look completely out of place right now; it’s hard to even know what to expect from them. If I was in the dugout, the first thing I’d do would be to make Aiden Markram captain. I’d open Markram and Mitchell Marsh. Nicholas Pooran at number three, then Rishabh Pant at four and Ayush Badoni at five. Mujdyad, seventh, sixth, Abdul, Chokul.” seven and I would go with this batting order,” Jaffer said.
‘LET PANT BE A NORMAL PLAYER’
Jaffer said Pant should be a regular player in the lineup with no additional responsibilities.
“I feel a player like Rishabh Pant should play purely as a player. You get the best out of him if you cut him loose and tell him to go out and play and win matches on his own. Don’t burden him with captaincy,” he said.
The former India spinner also said he finds Markram mentally strong and composed under pressure and believes he can get the best out of players.
“I think Aiden Markram is a better captain. He has led South Africa very successfully; he is mentally strong, very composed and I think he can get the best out of other players. But it doesn’t look like something that will actually happen. This is just my suggestion, but if I was there I would do it,” Jaffer added.
Jaffer’s argument about Pant also comes with the reference point of the bat. Pant’s best IPL season came before he took over the captaincy duties. In the 2018 season, he scored 684 runs at a strike rate of around 174. This season, Pant scored 189 runs in eight matches at an average of 27 and a strike rate of 126.84.
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Published on:
27 Apr 2026 14:02 IST
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