Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has weighed in on Rishabh Pant's batting struggles during IPL 2026, suggesting that the issues go beyond the pressures of captaincy. Pant was recently relieved of his captaincy duties with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) after the franchise finished at the bottom of the 10-team table. His individual form also came under scrutiny, with the left-hander managing only 312 runs in 14 innings.
Manjrekar's Analysis
Speaking on a recent Sportstar podcast, Manjrekar said Pant's batting problems appeared deeper than the burden of leadership. "That's a nice way to put it (that captaincy was probably burdening him) but clearly something has gone wrong with his batting. I wonder why, because he's a phenomenal player," Manjrekar said. The former India cricketer expressed hope that stepping away from captaincy could help Pant regain his form but felt the franchise had decided a change was necessary. "Let's hope stepping away from the captaincy helps him rediscover his best form. But clearly, the franchise felt it needed to go in a different direction."
LSG's Official Statement
LSG formally announced Pant's request to be relieved of captaincy duties in an official statement. "Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wish to formally announce that Rishabh Pant has requested to be relieved of his captaincy duties with the franchise, and the franchisee has accepted his request with immediate effect," the statement read. LSG's Director of Cricket Tom Moody was quoted as saying, "Rishabh approached the franchisee with this request and we have respectfully accepted it. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain. Our focus now is on the collective rebuilding and restructuring to reach the best standards."
Manjrekar Backs Leadership Change
Manjrekar also endorsed the decision to move on from Pant as captain, suggesting LSG were among the teams that needed a leadership change. "There are a few teams that probably need to move on from their current leaders, and LSG is certainly one of them. So I think it's a good move," Manjrekar added. The former India batter's comments come as Pant looks to rediscover his form ahead of future tournaments.
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