The flip heard ’round the world. Rishabh Pant’s celebratory move after scoring a century against the Royal Challengers Bangalore went viral, but the real story was his 118-run performance. For a player who had only managed 151 runs in the entire season prior, this was a welcome change. His team, the Lucknow Super Giants, may have lost the match, but Pant’s individual display was a highlight.
However, his season has been underwhelming, to say the least. With an average of 24.45 and 269 runs in 14 matches, Pant failed to live up to his price tag of 27 crores. The captain’s slow start to the season had raised eyebrows, and despite this recent century, his team’s early exit from the league stage was a disappointment.
The match against RCB was a high-scoring affair, with Pant’s 118 helping the Super Giants reach 227. However, the RCB captain, Jitesh Sharma, stole the show with an 85-run knock off just 33 balls. His six sixes and eight fours left the crowd in awe, and he was deservedly named the player of the match.
But amidst all the excitement, Pant and his team received a hefty fine for maintaining a slow over rate. This was the third offense of the season for the Super Giants, resulting in a 30 lakh fine for Pant and a 12 lakh fine or 50% of their match fee for the rest of the playing eleven. It’s a pricey mistake, but one that the team will hope to learn from.
As the season comes to a close, Pant will reflect on what could have been. His team’s exit from the league stage was a disappointment, but his personal performance against RCB will give him something to build on. With a new season on the horizon, Pant will look to put this one behind him and come back stronger than ever.