Former India all‑rounder R. Ashwin has made an emotional, public plea to Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant, urging him to continue opening the innings throughout IPL 2026 even after a high‑profile failure in the role. Speaking on his YouTube channel “Ash ki Baat,” Ashwin adopted the Hindi phrase “Haat jod kar maangunga” (“I request you with folded hands”) and asked Pant to ignore a single‑match flop and stick to the opener’s slot for all 14 league matches.
Why Ashwin is backing Pant as opener
Pant took over the opening spot for LSG, replacing Aiden Markram, but was run out for a single‑digit score in an opening‑stand that also saw Marcus Stoinis dismissed cheaply, contributing to a heavy defeat against Delhi Capitals. In the post‑match presser, Pant himself said his chances of opening for the rest of the season were “50–50,” which Ashwin read as a sign of hesitation.
The former off‑spinner argued that Pant’s true value lies in the powerplay, where his aggressive stroke‑play can set tone‑setting platforms for the middle order. “Go and play the entire 14 games as an opener,” he told LSG’s management, calling on coaches such as Justin Langer to back Pant to bat with complete freedom in the first six overs, without fear of promotion or demotion based on one bad game.
Conviction over convenience
Ashwin also criticised the “horror” of Pant’s dismissal and the “even more unfortunate” tone of his post‑match comments, emphasising that a player of Pant’s reputation should not publicly waver on his own role. By folding his hands in the camera, he framed the appeal as a humble but firm intervention, aimed less at tactical debate than at bolstering Pant’s mental conviction in the slot.
For LSG, the episode heightens the pressure on the think‑tank to decide whether to back their star captain at number one, or to revert to the previous top‑order template mid‑season. For Pant, Ashwin’s message is a clear directive: treat the opener role as a commitment, own the powerplay, and let consistent intent, not one innings, define where he stands in the batting order.
-Samuthiran
