IPL 2026: ‘Do or die’ season for Rs 27 crore Rishabh Pant, will he be able to save his white ball career?

The Indian Premier League 2026 (IPL 2026) is about to start and this time all eyes are on the most expensive player of the tournament, Rishabh Pant. For Pant, who was bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a huge sum of Rs 27 crore, this season is not just a league but the last hope to save his limited overs international career. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar, who is preparing the blueprint of Team India for the 2027 ODI World Cup, will have his eyes fixed on the performance of the IPL this time.

Bet worth crores and shadow of bad form

Lucknow made Rishabh Pant its captain and main player in the mega auction of IPL 2025, but the last season was no less than a nightmare for him. If we look at the figures:

Total Run: Only 269 runs in 13 innings.

average: 24.45 (which is very low for a player of his stature).

strike rate: 133.16.

However, he remained unbeaten in the last match of the season. 118 runs He showed his ability by playing a stormy innings, but lack of consistency has put his place in the ODI team in danger.

Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan’s ‘World Cup’ challenge

The biggest obstacle in Rishabh Pant’s path is his competing players. t20 world cup 2026 India’s historic victory in Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan Had played an important role.

Sanju Samson: He has strengthened his claim by batting brilliantly in the knockout matches of the recently concluded World Cup. However, opening for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in IPL 2026 could prove to be a hindrance in his middle order selection.

Ishan Kishan: Ishan, who plays for Sunrisers Hyderabad, is now scoring runs in the middle order in the domestic ODI tournament (Vijay Hazare Trophy), which directly challenges Pant’s place.

Injury and fitness struggle

Pant has faced difficulties not only on the field but also regarding fitness. He during a practice session ahead of the ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026 Side Strain He was out due to injury, after which Dhruv Jurel was included as a backup. Now he has been declared fit just before IPL 2026. This is the last big platform for him to prove himself.

Taking the mantra of training from Yuvraj Singh

Pant has taken a big step to regain his form. He is a great player of India Yuvraj Singh Are taking special training under the guidance of. Former cricketer Aakash Chopra believes that Pant has fallen into the trap of his ‘unorthodox’ style and he needs a solid ‘blueprint’ to score runs in T20. Yuvraj’s mentorship can make him mentally and technically stronger.

Mission 2027: Close eye of selectors

Indian team management at present KL Rahul Is being seen as the first wicketkeeper in ODIs. There is a tough competition between Pant, Ishan, Sanju and Dhruv Jurel for the slot of second wicketkeeper. If Pant fails on both the captaincy and batting fronts for Lucknow in IPL 2026, then the doors of the 2027 World Cup may be closed for him forever.