During the IPL 2025 match on Tuesday against the Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant evoked a sense of déjà vu among fans. Social media users quickly identified the "master plan" that led his team to secure a second consecutive victory this season.

Nicholas Pooran's explosive performance at Eden Gardens enabled Lucknow to set a formidable target of 239 runs, as the West Indies batsman scored an impressive 87 runs off just 36 balls. However, Kolkata appeared to be on track to chase down the target, bolstered by a strong 73-run partnership for the third wicket between Ajinkya Rahane and Venkatesh Iyer.

After 12 overs, Kolkata was positioned at 149 for two, needing 90 runs from the remaining 48 balls. Lucknow seemed to be running out of options, as Rahane and Iyer relentlessly attacked the bowlers. The turning point arrived at the end of the 13th over when Shardul Thakur dismissed Rahane during an over that extended to 11 deliveries due to five consecutive wides. KKR lost their fifth wicket just before the strategic time-out, with LSG claiming a wicket in each of the following three overs, causing the required run rate to climb back over 13 for the home team.

On social media, fans speculated that the disruption in KKR's momentum was a result of Pant's actions at the beginning of the 13th over. He suddenly complained of back pain, which caused anxiety in the LSG dugout as the physio was summoned. Pant received treatment on the field, leading to a delay in the match, but ultimately chose to continue playing.

Fans suggested that Pant may have "faked" the injury to disrupt KKR's rhythm. He had previously employed a similar tactic during the T20 World Cup final last June, which coincided with a pivotal dismissal of Heinrich Klaasen.

Pant later acknowledged employing a delaying strategy during the World Cup final in Barbados. In an interview with Star Sports several months after the victory, he remarked, "I was contemplating my next move because the momentum had abruptly shifted in favor of South Africa; they had scored a significant number of runs in just 2-3 overs. I was pondering when the moment would arrive for us to secure the World Cup final."

"I requested the physio to take some time. When Rohit bhai inquired about my knee, I replied, 'Bhaiya, I was just acting all this while.' Sometimes, such tactics are necessary in matches. I’m not claiming they are effective every time, but they can be successful on occasion, and if they work in critical moments, it’s invaluable," he added.

Rishabh Pant addressed injury concern

Despite how social media reacted to the incident, Pant maintained that he had injured his back during wicketkeeping, before assuring that he was fine.

"The back is fine now," he said in the post-match presentation.

Lucknow will play their next two matches at home - against Gujarat Titans on Saturday and Chennai Super Kings on Monday.

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