Sanjay Bangar questions Rishabh Pant’s white-ball numbers amid poor form in IPL 2025

Former Indian batting coach Sanjay Bangar has questioned Rishabh Pant’s credentials in the limited-over formats. Bangar noted that while Pant is a fabulous batter in the Test version of the game, he is yet to prove his mettle in the white-ball. 

Pant has struggled to lead Lucknow Super Giants from the front in IPL 2025, which has been currently suspended amid rising border tension between India and Pakistan. The left-hander has scored 128 runs in 11 matches at an average of 12.80 and a strike rate of 99.22.

On the other hand, Pant has scored 871 runs in 31 ODIs at an average of 33.50 whereas he has accumulated 1209 runs in 76 T20Is at an average of 23.25.

Bangar said on Star Sports, “We have to recognise that he’s still yet to totally understand the white-ball game – both formats, 50-over cricket as well as T20 cricket. A fabulous Test match batter, make no mistake about it, but here in this particular season, what I noticed is that he got out a number of times looking to play shots behind the wicket.”

Bangar also shed light on Rishabh Pant’s technical flaws, saying the southpaw has been trying too hard to play behind the wicket.

“If you do look to score down the ground a lot of times, then all those other areas open up. But if you’re only looking to score behind, then whatever is in front of you, you sort of are very much late and not in a great position to play.”

“Now, you pull out the best innings of Rishabh – where has he looked to score the runs? Drives through covers, step down the track and try to hit the sightscreen or go over midwicket, square. But here, he was trying to play those reverse sweeps or shots that are very fine. So as a batter, I think probably he just got caught in that confusion and forgot that his best game, or that he plays at his best, is when he’s looking to score down the ground,” he added.

Pant will hold the key for India in the upcoming tour of England, where India will play five Test matches.