Ravichandran Ashwin gave this opinion Rishabh PantA training session with Yuvraj Singh during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 could prove beneficial for the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain.
LSG bought Pant for Rs 27 crore in the IPL 2025 mega-auction. However, the most expensive player in IPL history failed to live up to his reputation and could only score 269 runs in 13 innings. Pant has also lost his place in India's T20 setup.
In a bid to revive his white-ball career, Pant had a camp with Yuvraj in Mumbai before entering the LSG dressing room. Ashwin believes that this can work wonders for the wicketkeeper-batsman.
“Maybe if he practices with Yuvraj SinghHe will perform well. This could be the Midas touch that Rishabh Pant needs. But if they want to utilize Rishabh Pant well, then according to me, Rishabh Pant should open the batting or bat at number 3. He should not bat lower than that,” Ashwin said in his latest YouTube video.
Ideal number to bat as an opening batsman to get the best out of him: Ashwin
Ashwin said that to give LSG its best performance, Pant should open the innings. The former India off-spinner said that either Mitchell Marsh or Aiden Markram, who opened for LSG last season and did well, should bat at the top of the order with Pant. Ashwin suggested dropping either Marsh or Markram to play the overseas fast bowler and LSG struggled with all-India bowling attacks last season.
The cricketer turned expert said, “If you want to go with Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, where would you play Rishabh? The ideal number to get the best out of them would be to open the batting because if your captain is aggressive, that team looks very different, and Rishabh Pant will have less problems inside the powerplay. They have to drop one of their overseas batsmen and strengthen their bowling with overseas fast bowlers.”
Pant and LSG will begin their IPL 2026 campaign in a fierce encounter against neighbors Delhi Capitals on April 01 at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. It will be interesting to see where Pant bats in the upcoming season of the cash-rich tournament.
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