Former India wicketkeeper-batter Vijay Dahiya backed Rishabh Pant to learn from his experience as a leader during Lucknow Super Giants’ (LSG) disappointing campaign in IPL 2025 and bounce back strongly in the upcoming season.
Pant was roped in by LSG for INR 27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction. He became the highest-paid player in the history of the cash-rich league. The wicketkeeper-batter was subsequently appointed as the captain of the franchise. However, the Super Giants could only finish at No. 7 on the points table under Pant’s leadership. The Delhi cricketer also had a forgettable outing with the bat, scoring just 269 runs from 14 matches at an average of 24.45. This includes a century in LSG’s final match of the season.
Vijay Dahiya said that LSG lost few close matches this season.
He also noted how difficult it is for a player to enter a new environment and produce immediate results as a leader.
“(On Pant) The first year is difficult for anyone in the captaincy position. It’s not easy to be captain, and several outcomes could have gone our way. There were close matches; if they had gone our way, the decision could have been very different. It’s a result-oriented game; how the teams perform and the captain’s performance are determined by where you finish,” the former LSG assistant coach noted on YouTube channel.
“He is being groomed for captaincy, and he possesses the necessary abilities. It’s only a word. I think he’s a leader that can bring people together. There is pressure when entering a new setting. Personally, he concluded the season strong, scoring a 100. “He can start the next season from there,” he said.
This doesn’t just show the skillset but also shows the mentality of the dressing room: Vijay Dahiya
Dahiya took a subtle dig at the critics while praising Shubman Gill-led India’s performance in the recently-concluded five-match Test series against England, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
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