Yuvraj Singh and Rishabh Pant (X-LSG) Bombay: Ahead of the start of IPL-2026, India batsman Rishabh Pant underwent some training under the watchful eye of India’s 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai last week. Pant, who leads Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, is working to regain form and revive his white-ball career after enduring an ordinary IPL last year, scoring 269 runs in 14 matches, with a top score of 118 not out and a strike rate of 133.16. It marked his lowest return in the competition since his debut season in 2016. With their captain in poor form, LSG finished seventh in the table. “Rishabh is very focused on reviving his white-ball career and hence sought Yuvraj’s help ahead of IPL-2026. He did some training sessions for three to four days with Yuvraj at the CCI in Mumbai before going to the LSG camp in Chennai,” a source following the development told TOI. In a video of their practice that has gained significant traction on social media, the batsmen can be seen facing the deliveries while the superstar left-hander watches intently from the umpire’s position. Pant endured a poor season with LSG in IPL 2025 Notably, the training was likely arranged after a tough campaign in the previous edition of the cash-rich league. Last year Pant managed just 269 runs across the tournament. It helped improve the numbers towards the end of the century, but the overall campaign remained lacking for a player known for his explosive batting. Pant was not part of India’s recent T20 World Cup winning team and is the second choice wicketkeeper and batsman in ODIs after KL Rahul. Yuvraj has mentored and coached several young players in recent years, with India’s Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, India’s T20 opener Abhishek Sharma and Punjab Kings opener Prabhsimran Singh finding success after enjoying his guidance. Yuvraj even coached India’s T20 World Cup hero Sanju Samson in the past. In recent years, he has been mentoring Pant. A feared batsman in the red ball format, Pant will be hoping that Yuvraj’s guidance will help him turn around his fortunes ahead of the next IPL season. Perhaps he could look to his teammates Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan for inspiration, both of whom came back brilliantly to play in India’s World T20 triumph recently.
