Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka has hinted at Rishabh Pant’s potential batting position after the franchise secured the star wicketkeeper-batter during the IPL 2025 auction last month in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Pant became the most expensive player in IPL history when LSG acquired him for a staggering INR 27 crore. This move marks Pant’s second IPL home after spending eight seasons with Delhi Capitals.
Goenka recently shared that Pant could either open the innings or bat at No. 3 for Lucknow in the upcoming season. He also mentioned other potential opening combinations, including South Africa’s T20I captain Aiden Markram and Australia’s T20I skipper Mitchell Marsh.
“Options are to open with Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh, Marsh and Rishabh Pant, or Markram and Rishabh. Now, whether Rishabh bats at No. 3 or No. 2, those are decisions beyond my scope,” Goenka said in a conversation with Aakash Chopra on his YouTube channel.
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Despite this, Pant has only opened the batting in four of the 110 IPL innings he has played, amassing 104 runs at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 136.84.
Goenka also revealed that England’s white-ball captain Jos Buttler was on LSG’s radar as they sought explosive openers. However, Buttler eventually joined Gujarat Titans for INR 15.75 crore.
“We had prepared three scenarios. One was with Rishabh Pant and Jos Buttler, aiming for an explosive opening pair that could provide 60 to 85 runs in the powerplay. Jos was in lot one, so had we succeeded, that was the plan. But we didn’t get him,” he explained.
Pant and Nicholas Pooran are being considered as potential captains for LSG. Goenka confirmed that the decision has already been made and will be announced soon.
“People often expect surprises. Personally, I don’t do surprises. The decision has been made, and we will announce it in the next few days,” Goenka added.
