Former England cricketer Kevin Pietersen has expressed disagreement with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper Rishabh Pant’s choice to open the innings in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Pant, who briefly opened against Delhi Capitals, was run out at the non-striker’s end during his short stint at the top order. Pietersen believes that Pant, who struggled in the previous season, has added unnecessary pressure by opting to open and should focus on enjoying his batting position instead.
Pietersen questioned whether Pant, given LSG’s batting depth, is suited to the opening role, suggesting that Pant may have moved too high up the order compared to the previous season. He advised Pant not to force himself into the opening position and to savor the luxury of his current batting slot. The cricketer emphasized the importance of Pant enjoying his cricket without the added pressure of batting at number three.
Pant, who became the costliest player in IPL history after LSG acquired him for Rs 27 crore last year, faced criticism for his performance not aligning with his high price tag. Despite scoring a century, Pant’s overall batting display was lackluster, especially as it occurred when LSG were already out of the playoff race. In the previous season, Pant managed just 269 runs in 13 matches at an average of 24.45.
LSG suffered a defeat in their opening match as Delhi Capitals comfortably chased down a target of 142 runs in 17.1 overs. Pant’s batting position is likely to be a topic of discussion as LSG prepares to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their upcoming match on April 5 at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad.
