Hiding behind youngsters? Fans slam Rishabh Pant for demoting self in LSG vs DC-OxBig News Network

Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant faced a meme storm from fans after coming in to bat at number 7 during his side’s batting collapse against Delhi Capitals. In the IPL 2025 clash on April 22, LSG’s batting order crumbled as Pant entered the crease to face just the final two balls of the innings, ultimately getting dismissed for a duck.

Pant’s LSG journey continues to struggle, and his decision to demote himself in the batting order during a middle-order collapse raised eyebrows. His choice to bat so low, especially when the team needed him to anchor the innings, did not sit well with fans, and memes quickly flooded social media.

This only marked the third time that Pant has come on to bat at number 7, and both the previous times came during his maiden IPL season in 2016 while he played for Delhi Capitals, then known as Delhi Daredevils.

IPL 2025, LSG vs DC: Updates

After yet another failed outing for the most expensive IPL player ever, Pant has now managed only 106 runs in his 9 matches for LSG.

A Possible Injury?

Pant was seen with a bandage on his right hand during the toss, sparking speculation about an injury. This led to further questions regarding his batting position in the middle of the collapse.

While LSG started well with an 87-run opening stand between Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, the middle-order failed to build on the strong foundation. A key turning point came when DC pacer Mitchell Starc continued his dominance over Nicholas Pooran, dismissing the dangerous LSG batter for just 9 runs.

Though many expected Pant to step in and take charge after Pooran’s dismissal, it was David Miller, Ayush Badoni, and Abdul Samad who followed, but none could make an impact. Pant continued to wait as LSG’s innings fell apart, going from 87/1 in 10 overs to finishing with a modest 159/6. This marked the lowest first innings total at Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.