Watch: Rishabh Pant Argues With Mentor Zaheer Khan On LSG Bench, Video Storms Internet

By Admin

23 Apr, 2025

In an IPL 2025 moment that's taken the internet by storm, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant was caught on camera in a seemingly intense argument with team mentor Zaheer Khan during their clash against Delhi Capitals (DC) on Tuesday. The video, which has since gone viral, shows Pant padded up, engaged in a serious discussion with Zaheer as tension lingered in the dugout.

The scene unfolded during LSG’s innings, which ended on a low note at 159/6. In a surprising move, Pant chose to demote himself to number seven in the batting order, a decision that backfired as he faced just two deliveries before being clean bowled by DC pacer Mukesh Kumar on the final ball of the innings. The choice to delay his entry was met with criticism from both fans and cricket pundits alike, especially after LSG suffered a heavy eight-wicket loss.

“We knew we were 20 runs short,” Pant later admitted. “In Lucknow, the toss plays a big part. Whoever is bowling first, they get a lot of help from the wicket. We just had to stay back, we just couldn't get it away.”

Pant, who made headlines in the November auction by joining LSG for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore, has so far underwhelmed with the bat—scoring just 106 runs in eight innings, his highest being 63.

Delhi made light work of the 160-run target, chasing it down with 13 balls to spare. Key contributions came from Rahul, who anchored the innings with a fluent 42-ball knock, and Abishek Porel, whose 51-run innings helped DC dominate the chase. The duo stitched a solid second-wicket partnership that laid the foundation for DC’s win.

But the real hero for Delhi was Mukesh Kumar, whose fiery spell dismantled LSG’s top order after they were cruising at 87/0. His four-wicket haul dragged LSG back to reality, eventually restricting them to a below-par total.

“Once we picked up two quick wickets, we got the momentum and all the bowlers did well to restrict them under 160,” said Delhi captain Axar Patel after the game.

With this win, DC climbed to second place in the points table with six wins from eight matches, rebounding strongly from their previous loss to Gujarat Titans. Meanwhile, LSG faces growing pressure to regroup and find form, with Pant’s leadership and batting performance coming under increasing scrutiny.

The viral video of the Pant-Zaheer exchange now serves as a symbolic snapshot of LSG’s current struggles—internal tension, questionable decisions, and an urgent need to reset.