Rishabh Pant's struggles continued in the ongoing IPL 2025, as he managed only 2 runs off 5 balls against the Punjab Kings on Tuesday. The wicketkeeper-batter, who was acquired by the Lucknow Super Giants for a staggering INR 27 crore during the IPL mega auction, has totaled just 17 runs in his first three matches. The weight of expectation is increasing, given his hefty price tag, which has placed him under scrutiny.

The 27-year-old entered the match at a critical juncture, with his team in a precarious position following the dismissals of openers Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram. As the captain of LSG, he was tasked with stabilizing the innings alongside his deputy, Nicholas Pooran, but once again faltered under the mounting pressure.

Shreyas Iyer strategically brought Glenn Maxwell into the bowling attack shortly after Pant's arrival. The Australian all-rounder tempted Pant with a short delivery aimed down the leg side. Pant attempted a risky shot, going down on one knee, but ended up hitting the ball directly to short fine leg, where Yuzvendra Chahal was positioned to take a straightforward catch.

Live Score LSG vs PBKS IPL 2025 Updates

It marked the third consecutive innings this season in which Pant was unable to make a significant contribution with the bat. In his previous two matches, he scored 0 and 15 runs, respectively.

The wicketkeeper-batter faced criticism from fans on social media due to his third straight underperformance, especially given the substantial price tag associated with him in the league.

Fans also resurfaced Pant's earlier remarks regarding the Punjab Kings. 

Before IPL 2025, Pant expressed his anxiety about PBKS having the largest budget in the auction, as he had hoped to be selected by LSG instead. 

"I had only one concern, and that was Punjab (laughs). They had the highest budget. When Shreyas moved to Punjab, I thought I might have a chance with LSG. There was a possibility. However, with auctions, you can never be certain, so I decided to wait and see, keeping my fingers crossed," Pant shared with Star Sports.

Shreyas Iyer elects to bowl first, LSG

Earlier, Shreyas Iyer, the captain of Punjab Kings, won the toss and chose to bowl first against Lucknow at Ekana Stadium. The home team opted to maintain the same lineup as in their previous match, where they convincingly defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad to secure their first points.

Pant expressed that he preferred to bowl first but was prepared to embrace the challenge of batting first.

"We aimed to bowl first, but some factors are beyond our control, so we are pleased to bat first. Many supporters have come out for us, and we are committed to giving our best effort. We have made no changes to our team," Pant stated during the toss.

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