Former Indian cricketer and legend Virender Sehwag has advised Rishabh Pant to fix his batting position in the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) lineup.
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LSG face the five-time winners Mumbai Indians (MI) on Sunday, April 27, in match no. 45 of the Indian Premier League (2025) at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
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The previous fixture between the two sides at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow saw the Lucknow-based franchise emerge victorious by 12 runs. MI will be hell-bent on getting revenge this time out as they eye a place in the playoffs.
Lucknow have had their fair share of ups and downs this season, as they sit sixth in the table with 10 points in their 9 matches played so far. They will look to grab the two points at stake to remain in contention for the playoffs.
Skipper Rishabh Pant has struggled with his batting this season, as the southpaw has only managed 106 runs in 9 innings so far, with just one fifty to his name. His poor run of form saw him come down at no. 7 for LSG in their last game against the Delhi Capitals (DC).
This decision has been a talking point for fans and experts alike, as the skipper could be seen expressing his displeasure to mentor Zaheer Khan in the dugout. He eventually came on to bat with two balls left to play in the first innings but was dismissed for a duck by Mukesh Kumar.
Meanwhile, Sehwag has advised Pant to emulate the veteran's approach in the IPL 2025.
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What did Sehwag say?
Former Indian batsman Virender Sehwag has asked Rishabh Pant to take a leaf out of his book as to how the right-handed opener approached the 2011 ODI World Cup.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Sehwag said, "A captain should decide what position he wants to play. In the 2011 World Cup, I told everyone the first DRS is mine, whether I'm out or not. The rest of the team can divide the remaining one. That was it."
Sehwag further said that he had total belief in his match-winning abilities if he spent an ample amount of time at the crease, something coach Gary Kirsten, skipper MS Dhoni, and legend Sachin Tendulkar can testify to.
"I knew I could win the match if I played for long. This is a fact. You can ask Gary Kirsten, MS Dhoni or Sachin Tendulkar."
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He further added that even his teammates were sure of the fact that the right-handed opener was a match-winner on his day. He explained how the two Duckworth-Lewis (DRS) reviews were divided between him and the rest of the team.
Sehwag feels that a captain should decide when he should come down to bat and must convey the same to the team management.
"The ball hit my pad, and I signalled for DRS straightaway (in the final). Even they (the teammates) knew that I could win the match the way I play. Rishabh Pant needs to do the same. He needs to tell them he can win matches for LSG if he plays at the right spot."
On being asked Pant's ideal position, Sehwag had no hesitation in saying that the no. 4 spot is where the southpaw should come. He further explained that when someone is not among the runs, the management tries to keep the in-form players in the top 3.
"I think no.4 is good for him. When you're not scoring runs, management forces you to come down. They trust the in-form players, which is why he came to bat at no.7. When your top-3 is playing till 12-13 overs, you try to maximise your in-form players. That could be the reason."
The top 3 of LSG, comprising Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran, have done a fairly good job so far, which could be one of the reasons Pant was sent down at no. 7 in the previous game.
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