Zaheer Khan vs Rishabh Pant:
A dispute has surfaced regarding the batting order in IPL 2025's match number 40 between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant and team mentor Zaheer Khan. On April 22, 2025, LSG faced Delhi Capitals (DC), where Pant was surprisingly sent to bat at number seven, visibly dissatisfied with the decision.
In the match, Delhi's captain Axar Patel won the toss and chose to bowl first. Lucknow, batting first, posted a total of 159 runs. In response, Delhi chased it down by the 18th over.
The Lucknow team started the innings with a strong opening by Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, adding nearly 90 runs in the first 10 overs. After Markram fell in the 10th over, Nicholas Pooran was sent to bat but couldn't create an impact. Pooran was dismissed in the 12th over with just 9 runs.
Thereafter, Abdul Samad was sent in to bat, which caught the attention of commentators Anil Kumble and Suresh Raina, who believed Pant should have come in at this point, given the team’s strong position and the need for quick runs. However, Samad also fell in the 14th over. Expecting Pant next, the audience was surprised as Mitchell Marsh’s wicket fell, yet Pant remained off-pitch. Pant eventually sent David Miller and later Badoni, only coming out to bat with two balls left, not scoring and getting bowled by Mukesh Kumar.
As soon as Pant was bowled, he stormed off towards the pavilion, his anger and frustration were apparent. During commentary, Kumble and Raina observed Pant's reaction, pondering if it was due to being sent so low down the order. Kumble on Star Sports remarked that if Pant wanted to play relaxed under less pressure, the delay was baffling. His evident anger suggested something had gone amiss, hinting Pant wished to bat higher. The question remained, was this decision Pant's, coach Justin Langer’s, or mentor Zaheer Khan’s? Pant’s reaction implied he was unhappy with the arrangement.
Suresh Raina Shares Insight from the Field....
Post-out, animated chats between Pant and mentor Zaheer Khan became viral. It appeared Pant was engaging fervently with Zaheer during the 19th over, while fully padded up, waiting for his chance to bat. This scene didn’t escape observation. Commenting, Suresh Raina speculated that their discussion revolved around Pant’s batting position. Raina pointed out that in a 20-over game, Pant had to manage wicketkeeping, captaincy, and leading the team to victory. Perhaps Pant was telling Zaheer, 'I told you, send me out there.'
