IPL 2026: ‘Pant is a prisoner of his own reputation,’ says Aakash Chopra

Former Indian opener Aakash Chopra believes that India’s wicketkeeper batter and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant is a prisoner of his own reputation of playing unorthodox shots and needs to reassess his approach especially in the white-ball format as he gears up for the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which will commence on March 28. Chopra pointed out that Pant’s tendency to play risky shots has often worked against him and recommended that he should return to fundamental techniques in order to regain his position in the Indian T20I setup. “The scrutiny around Rishabh Pant is justified. He is a prisoner of his own reputation for playing unorthodox shots and rarely looks to grind out runs when the situation demands it. Last season, despite opportunities to take time and rebuild his form, he continued to play risky shots, which drew criticism,” Chopra said on JioHotstar. “Having been part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Barbados, he is now completely out of the conversation for the national side. The selectors and management went from selecting a middle-order keeper to an opener keeper and a keeper who can bat at three. While the IPL is massive, representing India remains the ultimate priority, and losing that spot means it’s time for him to go back to the drawing board,” he added. Chopra also highlighted that Pant’s unique way of viewing the game has set him apart. He also revealed that Pant’s batting approach despite bringing good results in test was not liked by former Indian coach Rahul Dravid. “We sometimes fail to understand what Rishabh Pant brings to the table and how he sees the game unfold. In Test cricket, he had conversations with Rahul Dravid when he was the Head Coach. Rahul bhai was not very happy with Pant’s batting approach. To give credit where it’s due, Pant sees the game very differently from most of us who see it conventionally,” he said. Chopra added that Pant’s willingness to seek guidance from former all rounder Yuvraj Singh is a positive sign, indicating his intent to evolve and improve the game. “The most heartening thing for me is his acceptance that he needs to change something in his game. He needs to look for a blueprint. Something is not going right. He knows he is that good. The fact that he has approached Yuvraj Singh for help shows he acknowledges that he needs guidance, help and assistance. That is a great sign. With the quality, talent and skills he has, it is a travesty that he is not killing it in white-ball cricket,” he noted. Pant scored just 269 runs in the 13 matches he played last season at an poor average of 24.45. His form will be in focus when LSG begin their campaign in IPL 2026 against Delhi Capitals at their home ground, Ekana Stadium on April 1.