Rishabh Pant, captain of the Lucknow Super Giants, opened up about the team’s early exit from the 2025 Indian Premier League, admitting that while the side showed glimpses of strong performances, their failure to seize key moments proved costly. In what was a season riddled with highs and lows, the team’s inconsistency and close defeats ultimately disrupted any sustained momentum.
“We talk about playing good cricket, and we’ve shown on occasion that we can do that. There were times in the tournament when we had our chances to make the playoffs but didn’t capitalise. It’s part and parcel of the game,” Pant remarked following LSG’s 33-run victory over Gujarat Titans on Thursday.
Pant pointed to the string of injuries to key bowlers at the start of the tournament as a significant setback. The absence of Mohsin Khan, Avesh Khan, Akash Deep, and Mayank Yadav left their bowling attack underpowered in the crucial early stages. Though reinforcements arrived mid-season — with Shardul Thakur being signed and Avesh and Akash returning to action — Mayank could only feature in two matches before being ruled out again.
“Coming into the tournament, there were a lot of injury concerns. We made sure it’s something we wouldn’t talk about,” Rishabh Pant noted. He also reflected on the overall team effort, stating, “The whole batting unit has played, but we lacked a bit on the fielding side. We can’t make excuses; we just want to learn and move on.”
Despite being out of playoff contention, LSG ended their campaign with a strong performance against Gujarat Titans. Mitchell Marsh celebrated his first IPL century, while Nicholas Pooran continued his excellent form with his fifth half-century of the season, steering the team to a 33-run win in their final outing. Gujarat Titans had already secured their playoff spot ahead of this match, making LSG’s win a mere consolation in a season that promised more than it ultimately delivered.
