Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has expressed surprise over Rishabh Pant’s underwhelming IPL record compared to his remarkable achievements in Test cricket. Speaking as a JioHotstar Hindi expert, Pujara said a player of Pant’s ability should ideally dominate T20 cricket as well, but believes the issue lies more in mindset and clarity rather than technical flaws. Pant has established himself as one of India’s finest Test batters over the last few years, especially overseas.
The wicketkeeper-batter has scored 3,476 runs in 49 Tests, including memorable centuries in England, Australia and South Africa. However, his IPL numbers, while decent, have not reflected the same level of dominance. Across 134 IPL matches, Pant has managed 3,757 runs with two centuries and 20 fifties at a strike rate of 146. Cheteshwar Pujara admitted that the contrast between Pant’s Test success and IPL inconsistency is difficult to understand.
“I a also very surprised because someone like Rishabh Pant can attack any bowler in Test cricket and his IPL, when we just look at the stats, it is not as good as in Test cricket,” Pujara said. According to the veteran batter, Pant’s struggles are more mental than technical. He stressed that the left-hander needs greater clarity about his role, shot selection and approach at the crease.
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“I think it is the mindset thing also. There has to be some more clarity in the way Rishabh plays,” Cheteshwar Pujara explained. Pant started IPL 2026 wanting to bat higher up the order, but after a string of failures, he shifted back to the middle order. Pujara believes the constant changes may have impacted the wicketkeeper-batter’s rhythm and confidence.
“Technically, I don’t see a lot of changes needed in Rishabh’s batting. It’s more about clarity of thoughts and understanding which shots he needs to play in different situations,” he added. Pujara also pointed out that Pant relies heavily on scoring through the leg side in T20 cricket and suggested improving his off-side game could make him even more dangerous. “In T20 cricket, he is more dominant on the leg side. If he develops his off-side game further, it will make him a much more complete batter,” Pujara said.
The former India batter also questioned whether captaincy responsibilities are affecting Pant’s performances. Pant has led his IPL franchise in recent seasons, but Pujara feels leadership pressure may be preventing him from playing freely.
“We have seen that captaincy hasn’t really helped him a lot. If stepping away from leadership allows him to perform better as a batter, then maybe that’s something worth considering,” Pujara remarked. During the discussion, Pujara also defended Suryakumar Yadav, who has faced criticism for inconsistency in IPL 2026 despite playing impactful knocks. “Consistency is overrated in T20 cricket,” Pujara said. “People expect 40s and 50s every game, but impact matters more than aggregate runs in this format. A quick 25 or 30 can sometimes change the course of the match,” he added.
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Pant remains India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in Tests, but his position in white-ball cricket is no longer as secure. Although he was part of India’s 2024 T20 World Cup-winning squad, he is currently behind KL Rahul in the ODI setup and is no longer a regular starter in T20Is.
Pujara’s assessment highlighted not only Pant’s IPL struggles but also the growing mental and tactical demands of modern T20 cricket, where clarity, flexibility and decision-making often matter more than pure talent alone.
