Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) mentor Zaheer Khan has said that the team never doubted star batter Rishabh Pant’s quality as a batter. However, Pant had a rough time in the IPL 2025 after the LSG failed to reach the playoffs. But he smashed a stunning hundred in their last league game against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Tuesday, May 27 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow as well.

Pant smashed his second IPL hundred off 54 balls and helped LSG post a score of 227 for three. Zaheer Khan also said that Pant’s leadership was a “bright spot” for LSG in the season, but stated that the tournament would be a learning experience for him as a batter as well.

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“Well, he’s been good as a leader. That was a bright positive for us throughout the season. The form with the bat was definitely a learning experience for him, having this kind of season. But his ability and calibre are not in doubt. That’s how we are looking at it,” Zaheer said in the post-match press conference.

“We’re happy he finished on a strong note – that’s the calibre he has, and the impact he can have on the game,” Zaheer Khan further added.

However, Rishabh Pant scored 226 runs in 14 games in IPL 2025, which came at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 133.16. His other 50-plus score came against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on April 14 when he scored 63 in Lucknow as well.