Rishabh Pant’s High-Stakes IPL Grind: The Road Back to India’s White-Ball Core

Now in the 10th year of his international career, Rishabh Pant remains one of cricket’s most discussed figures. Weeks after India’s historic T20 World Cup victory, footage of the wicketkeeper-batter undergoing rigorous training sessions in Mumbai and Chennai dominated social media feeds. As the Indian Premier League approaches, Pant faces a defining season with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Despite being the most expensive signing in IPL auction history at INR 27 crore, Pant’s primary motivation extends beyond franchise success. He is fighting to reclaim his spot in India’s limited-overs squads. Since the T20 World Cup in June 2024, Pant has featured in just two T20Is and one ODI under head coach Gautam Gambhir, currently serving as the backup wicketkeeper in the 50-over format.

The Race for the 2027 ODI World Cup

As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) maps out its strategy for the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa, a high-scoring IPL campaign is essential for Pant to surpass competitors like Ishan Kishan and Sanju Samson.

• Current Status: Backup wicketkeeper behind KL Rahul in the ODI format.
• Recent White-Ball Activity: Limited to three limited-overs matches for India since June 2024.
• Immediate Goal: Establish dominance in the top order during the upcoming IPL season to force a national recall.

Mental Conditioning with Yuvraj Singh

Recovering from a side strain sustained in January, Pant has traveled extensively to secure high-intensity practice. Recently, he spent four days training alongside former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh in Mumbai. Rather than focusing purely on technique, this mentorship targeted mental conditioning.

Pant and Yuvraj share a profound connection, having both navigated near-death experiences to resume their international careers. Yuvraj overcame cancer, while Pant survived a severe car crash in December 2022. For Pant, these sessions with Yuvraj served to reinforce his aggressive yet calculated approach to the game.

Intense Work Ethic and Conditioning Focus

Pant’s dedication behind the scenes is well-documented. LSG recently highlighted a video of a 21-year-old batter waiting nearly two hours for Pant to vacate the practice nets. Former India strength and conditioning coach Soham Desai has previously noted Pant’s relentless gym routines during major international tours, often pushing past standard workload management protocols to maintain his fitness.

Former national selector Devang Gandhi emphasized Pant’s proven ability to rebound from adversity.

“He has always been under intense scrutiny,” Gandhi stated. “But he has made stirring comebacks. He helped India win the Test series in Australia in 2020-21 after warming the bench. He delivered a strong IPL return following his accident, securing his spot in the 2024 T20 World Cup team, and recorded centuries in England in 2022. These are indicators of his mental strength.”

Strategic Shift: Batting at No. 3 for LSG

Expectations indicate Pant will bat at No. 3 for LSG, a promotion from his lower-order struggles in recent franchise seasons. This aligns with his deployment by Rohit Sharma and Rahul Dravid during the 2024 T20 World Cup.

Gandhi advises Pant to maximize this top-order opportunity by trusting his foundational technique. “He has to face more balls in an innings,” Gandhi observed. “I hope he cuts out the risks that come with playing reverse sweeps and fancy ramps. He has a solid technique and can play pace and bounce better than most in India. That is what selectors will look for against top-quality fast bowling in South African conditions.”

With ample time to refine his game, Pant enters the Indian Premier League fully refreshed. The preparation phase is complete; his focus now shifts to execution and reclaiming his position in India’s white-ball core.