Virender Sehwag Slams Rishabh Pant After LSG’s Loss to DC: “That Was Your Job”

Sehwag criticises Pant’s leadership and missed stumping as Ashutosh Sharma pulls off a sensational win for Delhi Capitals

March 26, 2025
Rishabh Pant’s captaincy debut for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) came under fire after the team suffered a heartbreaking one-wicket loss to Delhi Capitals (DC) in their IPL 2025 opener. Despite reducing DC to 65/5 while defending 210, LSG failed to seal the win, largely due to a stunning knock by Ashutosh Sharma and a costly missed stumping by Pant in the final over.

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With DC needing six runs off six balls, tail-ender Mohit Sharma narrowly survived a stumping attempt from Pant. Ashutosh, who had already turned the game on its head, capitalised on the reprieve and smashed a six to seal a sensational win.

Also Read: “They outplayed Us In The Whole Series”: Salman Agha Reacts After Getting Thrashed 4-1 In The T-20 Series Against New Zealand

Sehwag vs Mishra: Contrasting Views

Former cricketer Virender Sehwag didn’t hold back in criticising Pant. Speaking on Cricbuzz, Sehwag said:

“Instead of thinking about the players who were unavailable, the captain needed to focus on those who were playing. It was Rishabh Pant’s job to control the game, slow it down, and rotate the bowlers smartly. He missed a trick.”

While Sehwag blamed Pant’s game awareness, Amit Mishra took a more sympathetic view. Mishra, a former LSG player, attributed the loss to the absence of key bowlers like Avesh Khan, Mohsin Khan, Mayank Yadav, and Akash Deep, calling their absence a major setback in closing out tight situations.

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“Whatever Happens, Happens for the Good” – Sehwag

Sehwag, however, turned the injury excuse around, stating:

“If Avesh was playing, maybe DC wouldn’t have lost early wickets. Instead of dwelling on the missing players, the captain should’ve figured out how to win with the team he had.”

As LSG reflects on a match they let slip away, questions loom over Pant’s leadership and the team’s tactical decisions under pressure. For now, all eyes will be on how LSG and their new skipper bounce back.

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