New Delhi: Skipper Rishabh Pant must be a “high-impact player” rather than a “highlight player” in order for Lucknow Super Giants to do well in IPL 2026, believes Faf du Plessis.
Pant floated in LSG’s batting line-up as opener, middle and lower middle order but failed to fire as LSG couldn’t qualify from the play-offs.
“Maybe there is an opportunity for Pant to bat at number three,” former South Africa skipper du Plessis told on JioStar.
“The numbers suggest that for him to be the best player he can be, number three looks good. I see him batting at number three for LSG this season with Nicholas Pooran sliding down to number four.
“Looking at LSG’s 2026 auction and their strategy around who they signed, you look at that top-heavy batting line-up — Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Pooran are the main ones alongside Pant.”
Pant became the LSG skipper after a record Rs 27 crore bid but they finished an undwerwhelming seventh in the standings.
The left handed batter could only score 269 runs in 13 innings at an average of 24.45 with a strike rate of 133.
“When I look at him, he is almost like a highlight player. I want him to be more of a high-impact player in terms of what he can give in his numbers,” du Plessis said.
“He needs to figure out exactly what his game plan looks like to give himself the best chance.”
LSG begin their campaign against Delhi Capitals with a home game on April 1 and du Plessis pointed out Pant’s relative low strike rate compared to his shot-making ability.
“The surprising number for me is his T20 strike rate, which is around 130. How is that possible for a guy with so many shots?
“Maybe it is because we watch him in Test cricket playing these extravagant, exuberant innings, taking the game on. We almost feel that should just happen in T20 cricket as well,” the former right hand batter said.