Rishabh Pant finally roared back into form in IPL 2025, delivering a much-needed captain’s knock for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in their clash against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 14. Pant, known for his explosive style, showcased composure and grit as he brought up his 19th IPL half-century, his first for LSG, reaching the mark in 42 deliveries.
The moment came in style during the 18th over when Matheesha Pathirana sent in a short delivery outside off. Pant, unfazed, pulled off a one-handed stroke that sailed over the midwicket boundary — a shot that underlined both flair and confidence. Just a ball earlier, he had played a mini helicopter shot for six, reminding fans of his destructive best.
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Pant’s return to form was significant, especially after a string of disappointing scores — 0, 15, 2, 2, and 21 — had put him under scrutiny. With the added pressure of being IPL’s most expensive player ever at ₹27 crore, this innings of 63 off 49 balls, featuring four fours and four sixes, was a statement of intent.
𝘾𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙋𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙘 🫡#LSG skipper brings up his maiden fifty of the season 🔥
Pick your favourite between these two specials? 🚁
Updates ▶ https://t.co/jHrifBkT14 #TATAIPL | #LSGvCSK | @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/GiMky62KXP
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) April 14, 2025
The LSG innings was built around Pant’s anchor role, with crucial cameos from Mitchell Marsh (30 off 25), Ayush Badoni (22 off 17), and Abdul Samad (20 off 11) helping the team post a competitive total. On the bowling front for CSK, Ravindra Jadeja and Pathirana were the pick, bagging two wickets each, while Khaleel Ahmed and Anshul Kamboj chipped in with key scalps, dismissing Nicholas Pooran and Aiden Markram.
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As LSG look to extend their winning streak to four games, CSK face mounting pressure, having lost five consecutive matches after their solitary win over Mumbai Indians. The heat is on, and Pant’s resurgence might just be the turning point for LSG.
