Former India wicketkeeper Saba Karim questioned Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant's leadership during the IPL 2025 clash against Delhi Capitals (DC). Karim expressed confusion over Pant's controversial decision to bat at No. 7, adding that the team's strategy was beyond his understanding.
The Super Giants suffered an eight-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 22. They opted to send Rishabh in to bat only in the final over. The LSG skipper faced just two balls before being dismissed for a duck. Abdul Samad, who scored 2 runs off 8 balls, was promoted ahead of Pant.
During the Hindi broadcast of the match, Saba Karim questioned the logic behind the demotion of Rishabh Pant in the batting order. Karim said that the strategy to hold him back didn’t make sense.
“Strategy? It's beyond my understanding. You are the captain and you are handed this responsibility, and the reason for it is that you can add value to the team. And this was your time,” Saba said.
The Super Giants began with Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh putting together 87 runs in the first 10 overs. David Miller came in at No. 5 and scored an unbeaten 14 from 15 balls. Ayush Badoni, used as an Impact Player, chipped in with 36 runs off 21. The hosts managed only 159/6 in the allotted 20 overs.
Visuals Show That Rishabh Pant Was Upset - Saba Karim
Saba Karim raised doubts over Rishabh Pant’s leadership. He emphasized that Pant should have taken charge when the team was under pressure, especially after Nicholas Pooran’s dismissal. Saba pointed out that Pant was visibly upset and that he may not have agreed with the call.
"Rishabh Pant was ready. But who took the call to not send him? Was it Pant himself? Was it team management? Was coach involved? Visuals show that Pant was upset at not playing earlier,” said Saba.
“But, you're the captain. In the end, the team is playing under you. You have to lead by example. There's no point in coming to bat for 2 balls. You were needed when Nicholas Pooran was dismissed and LSG were under pressure. The only positive was Ayush Badoni coming near the end and playing his shots,” he added.
We Sent Samad to Capitalise on a Wicket - Rishabh Pant
The LSG skipper stated that the strategy behind sending Abdul Samad and David Miller ahead of him was to make the most of the pitch.
"The Idea was to capitalise. We sent Samad to capitalise on a wicket like that. After that, Miller came in, and we just really got stuck in the wicket," he said after the match.
After three consecutive wins, the Lucknow Super Giants have struggled to maintain consistency. They will play their next match against the Mumbai Indians (MI) at Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 27.
Also read: Don't Copy MS Dhoni- Rishabh Pant instructed on point-blank range
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