Former South Africa captain Faf du Plessis believes that Rishabh Pant will be facing the most pressure in the upcoming IPL 2026 season. Du Plessis pointed out that Pant struggled to perform with the bat last season, leading to the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) failing to qualify for the playoffs.
LSG finished seventh on the points table in IPL 2025 and will kick off their campaign in IPL 2026 against the Delhi Capitals on April 1. Speaking on Star Sports, Du Plessis highlighted the pressure on Pant both as a batter and as a captain heading into the new season.
According to Du Plessis, Pant needs to score runs to alleviate the pressure on him as the team’s leader. He emphasized the importance of Pant performing well as a captain to set the tone for the team’s success. The former Chennai Super Kings opener mentioned that Pant had a tough season last year, with both his individual performance and the team’s results falling short of expectations.
In IPL 2025, Pant managed to score 269 runs at an average of 24.45 in 13 innings. However, he ended the season on a positive note by smashing an unbeaten 118 off 61 balls in the final league game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru.
Former India player Suresh Raina suggested a change in Pant’s batting position for IPL 2026, advocating for Pant to bat at No. 3 with Nicholas Pooran moving to No. 4. Raina emphasized the need for stability in the middle order, especially if the openers fail early in the innings.
Raina also mentioned the importance of Pant and Pooran playing crucial roles in case of early dismissals at the top of the order. He predicted that Pant would adopt a more aggressive approach in his batting this season to lead by example as the team’s captain.
Pant, who has lost his place in India’s T20I side, will be looking to make a strong statement in IPL 2026 to reclaim his spot in the national team. With players like Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan performing well in the T20 World Cup 2026, Pant will have to deliver match-winning performances for LSG to be successful in the upcoming season.
In conclusion, the pressure will be on Rishabh Pant to lead from the front both with the bat and as captain in IPL 2026. With the support of his teammates and a revamped batting order, Pant will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing season and make a strong impact in the upcoming tournament.
