Pitch, pressure, No. 7 slot—What's going on with LSG skipper

Is Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant under pressure? Has he run out of ideas or lost his leadership ability?

- Sharad Deep

LUCKNOW: This appears to be the case if his form in this season of the Indian Premier League and, specifically, his decision to bat at No. 7 in the game against Delhi Capitals (DC), which LSG lost by eight wickets on Tuesday night, are put under scrutiny.

LSG's decision to pick the red soil pitch for the match against DC also raised doubts as it was the same surface on which the side had faced another humiliating eight-wicket loss in the season opener.

LSG lost to five-time champions Mumbai Indians on the mixed-soil pitch later after winning their against Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Giants on the black soil pitch.

Sold for Rs 27 crore during the auction, Pant, who is best known as a match-turning and swashbuckling batter-keeper in the world cricket, has miserably failed with the willow this season. His scorecard in the nine matches so far reads 0, 15, 2, 2, NB, 21, 63, 2 and 0.

It left everyone in a big surprise when Pant came to bat at No. 7 against DC and got out for a duck after facing last two deliveries in the LSG's innings, which folded at 156/6 after being sent to bat first. When the scoreboard read 99/2 in 11.2 overs, everyone expected Pant to take the charge after the quick departure of 'run-machine' Nicholas Pooran, who could make just nine before being bowled by Mitchell Starc.