Mumbai, May 20: Former India pacer Varun Aaron shared his insights on skipper Rishabh Pantโ€™s struggling season after Lucknow Super Giants were knocked out of the playoffs race, losing to Sunrisers Hyderabad by six wickets in a must-win match, saying that the wicketkeeper-batter appeared tentative right from the beginning and was unable to find his rhythm throughout the season. Pant, who was signed by LSG for Rs 27 crore in the mega auction, has struggled miserably this season with only 135 runs in 12 games. In Monday night's game against SRH, he was dismissed for a mere score of seven in six balls. Mitchell Marsh Backs Rishabh Pant After Lucknow Super Giants Fail To Qualify for IPL 2025 Playoffs, Says โ€˜He Would Be First To Admit He Didnโ€™t Have a Good Seasonโ€™.

"LSG were relying on him, especially in the middle-order. Except for Marsh, nobody scored. Pant looked tentative from the start and never really got going this season. Itโ€™s a sign of a player out of form. A prime Pant would've launched that shot into the stands. Today, he chipped it straight to the bowler. Heโ€™s a quality player and will wake up," Aaron said on JioHotstar.

Aaron added that Pant needs to reassess and adjust his approach moving forward to regain form.

"He just needs to adjust his approach slightly. This year, he hasnโ€™t scored behind squareโ€”bowlers arenโ€™t letting him play those shots. At Arun Jaitley (stadium), those 45-degree angles worked for him. On bigger grounds, they havenโ€™t," he said.

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra commented on Pant's learnings from the innings, and said, "Success might teach you a few things. Failures, however, truly change your mindsetโ€”and often for good. He isnโ€™t a regular in the Indian T20 side, so this season was crucial. A chance to make a mark, to build a strong unit. It hasnโ€™t gone that way. His own form has been inconsistentโ€”another lesson in itself. Yesterdayโ€™s IPL Match Result: Who Won LSG vs SRH Indian Premier League 2025 Match 61?.

"Does he stick to this approach in T20s or adapt? When you're in a bad patch, it feels like nothing works. The nights seem longer, the days even more so. Thatโ€™s when you learnโ€”and bounce back. This has been a nightmare. The good thing about nightmares is that you eventually wake up," he added.

In the match, after LSG posted 205/7, SRH star Abhishek Sharma spearheaded the chase with his 20-ball 59 while the rest of the SRH batters put on a collective effort to comfortably reach 206/4 - the highest successful chase in the IPL in Lucknow.

Speaking about Abhishek's impact on SRH, Chopra said the youngster emulates his hero and mentor Yuvraj Singh when he bats. "Itโ€™s the flamboyanceโ€”he brings that to the table. Like Mitchell Marsh, he holds the bat at the top, has a lovely downswing, and has a beautiful backliftโ€”heโ€™s clearly emulating his hero Yuvraj Singh. You see shades of Yuvi when he bats. Thatโ€™s why you invest in Abhishek Sharma."

"If he gets going, he can make the match one-sided. A 59 off 20 balls todayโ€”he gave others time to settle in. Very strong through the off-side and down the ground. I think he finished Ravi Bishnoi as a bowler tonightโ€”one over, four sixes. That was that," he said. 'Ek Aur Chalaan Kaat Diyaโ€™ Lucknow Super Giants Share Post on Digvesh Rathi Performing โ€˜Notebookโ€™ Celebration During LSG vs SRH IPL 2025 Match.

He further shared his opinion on SRH batter Heinrich Klaasenโ€™s knock against LSG and said, "SRH were in the driverโ€™s seat at the halfway mark. It didnโ€™t require bravadoโ€”just common sense and a steady partnership. Thatโ€™s what they did. People talk about Pant going for Rs 27 crore, but Klaasen was retained for Rs 23 crore, more than Rohit, Bumrah, or Kohli. Thatโ€™s big money. You expect returns.

"While heโ€™s scored runs this season, they havenโ€™t always been meaningful. But tonight, he showed why you want Klaasen in your XIโ€”he calmly steered them to victory."

LSG will play their next game against table-toppers Gujarat Titans on Thursday in Ahmedabad, while the Sunrisers Hyderabad play their penultimate game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Friday in Bengaluru.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 20, 2025 01:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).