Former MI bowler brutally criticises Rishabh Pant while comparing him with Krunal Pandya after DC vs RCB IPL 2025 match

Former Mumbai Indians (MI) bowler Shaun Pollock failed to understand Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant's reasoning to go for a risky reverse sweep after scoring a boundary off his first ball. The left-handed batter ended with just four runs off two balls, prolonging his nightmare run of form with the bat as the Mumbai Indians (MI) recorded a thumping 54-run win at the Wankhede Stadium on Sunday, April 27.

Rishabh Pant walked out to bat during a crucial phase of the run chase. LSG had just lost Nicholas Pooran in the first ball after the powerplay in pursuit of the 216-run target. The skipper showcased his intent with a first-ball boundary off Will Jacks, but perished the very next ball after finding Karn Sharma with his reverse sweep attempt.

Shaun Pollock opined that Rishabh Pant should have handled the situation like Krunal Pandya did during the run chase against the Delhi Capitals (DC) later that same day. The left-handed all-rounder coming in at No.5 when the score read 26-3, absorbed pressure, before switching gears.

He scored an unbeaten 73 runs off 47 deliveries to guide RCB to a six-wicket win to keep their away streak alive.

"He got to the crease, he picked up a boundary off the very first ball. He almost bought himself 10 balls, where he could just knock it around, pick up the singles get a feel of the surface, and then look to cash in. But, they will tell you, "Oh, that is my natural game", to pull out the reverse sweep," Pollock said on Cricbuzz.

Now we watch that game, where you see him do that, and then you watch Krunal Pandya, who has got nowhere near the ability that Pant has got, nowhere near the experience he has got, walked in a similar situation, he managed to get himself in and then he made them pay later. So, I don't know how we explain Pant's shot selection. In his mind, he must have felt that there was a shot on offer," Pollock added.

Pant's wicket reduced LSG to 64-3 in the seventh over. Despite a promising partnership between Ayush Badoni and David Miller, the team were never in the run chase against an ever-climbing required rate. They collapsed to 161 all out to record their third loss in four outings.

Krunal Pandya, on the other hand, was involved in a massive 119-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Virat Kohli. The all-rounder was struggling at one stage after scoring just 14 runs off 19 deliveries. But, he made the most of the foundation to switch gears in the run chase.

"When things not going your way, you can't question yourself" - Rishabh Pant after LSG's loss to MI in IPL 2025

LSG's batting unit were salvaged in the early stages of IPL, even though Rishabh Pant was not chipping in, as both Nicholas Pooran and Mitchell Marsh were in prime form. However, with the batting unit showing cracks, LSG need Pant to chip in more than ever.

But, the skipper's woeful run is taking a turn for the worse. He has recorded three consecutive single-digit scores since his fifty against CSK. With only 110 runs in nine matches at an average of 12.22, the southpaw is under some serious pressure.

"Keep it simple, not to think too much. When things not going your way, you can't question yourself and it's a team game, can't depend on individuals and blame them if they don't do well," Pant said during the post-match presentation.

LSG will next face the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala on Sunday, May 4.