Rishabh Pant Reflects on LSG’s IPL Exit Amid Bowling Woes; Abhishek Sharma Credits Clear Strategy for SRH Victory

Last Updated May - 20 - 2025, 05:13 PM | Source : Fela News

LSG captain Rishabh Pant cites injuries and bowling challenges as key reasons for their IPL 2025 playoff exit, while SRH’s Abhishek Sharma praises his aggressiv

Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant on Monday acknowledged the challenges his team faced in coping with the absence of key bowlers, which contributed to their exit from the IPL playoffs race. LSG’s six-wicket defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad dashed their hopes of finishing in the top four, with the bowling unit stretched thin throughout the campaign. “We could have had one of our best seasons, but from the start, we had several gaps and injuries. As a team, we tried not to focus on that, but it became tough to cover those gaps,” Pant told broadcasters after the loss.

LSG started the IPL with injuries to Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, and Mayank Yadav. Although they signed Shardul Thakur mid-season and saw Avesh and Akash return, Mayank only managed a few matches before being sidelined again.

Pant reflected, “Our auction strategy assumed we’d have the same bowling squad throughout, but cricket is unpredictable. Sometimes things go your way, sometimes they don’t. We take pride in how we played and focus on the positives rather than the negatives.”

He added, “We have a strong batting lineup with plenty of firepower—that’s the biggest plus this season.” Despite his own struggles with the bat, Pant noted the team found it hard to keep pace with other sides as the playoffs approached. “We played well in the first half, but the second half became increasingly difficult to catch up,” he said.

Pant also praised young spinner Digvesh Rathi, saying, “He has emerged well in his debut season and bowled impressively. He’s one of the positives, but he still needs to keep improving.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad’s win was powered by India opener Abhishek Sharma, who hit 59 runs off just 20 balls, including six sixes and five fours. Sharma attributed his success to having a clear strategy. “If we had batted first, the plan might have been different, but chasing such a high total, we knew exactly what we wanted to do. Any good player chasing 200-plus should aim to win the powerplay,” he said.

He added, “I just wanted to express myself. When I do well, the team does well. It’s the same approach I take in international cricket—just play freely and score runs.”

Sharma also emphasized the responsibility that comes with being an international player: “You have to take responsibility. The plan was the same as in international matches. If the opportunity comes early, you have to seize it.”