Kamal Ghorui
NEW DELHI: Former England captain Kevin Pietersen has raised doubts over Rishabh Pant’s decision to promote himself to the top order, suggesting the Lucknow Super Giants skipper may have “gone a little too far ahead” in his batting position.Pant, who was run out for 7 off 9 balls in LSG’s IPL 2026 opener against Delhi Capitals, later indicated he intends to bat in the top order this season. However, Pietersen believes the move could backfire.
‘Too much pressure at the top’“When you look at the strength and depth of LSG’s batting, is Rishabh Pant really an opening batter?” Pietersen said. “I think he might have gone a little too far ahead of where he was in the line-up compared to last year.”The former England star pointed out that Pant had earlier dropped down the order but is now looking to move up again, a shift he feels may not be ideal. “He just needs to go out and enjoy his cricket,” Pietersen added, warning that forcing himself into a top-three role could pile unnecessary pressure.“Don’t force yourself into batting at number three. Enjoy the luxury of that position. I think he puts himself under tremendous pressure by opening the batting,” he said.Rizvi earns praise after match-winning knockPietersen also heaped praise on Delhi’s young batter Sameer Rizvi, who turned the game with an unbeaten 70 after the Capitals were reduced to 26/4 in a chase of 142.“He played the situation beautifully, and I’m not surprised,” Pietersen said, recalling his time mentoring the youngster. “This kid is a proper player, and we probably need to invest in him for a period of time.”He emphasised the importance of backing young talent, adding, “When you invest in a player, you need trust that he can pay you back, and he has done exactly that.”According to Pietersen, Rizvi’s match-winning effort under pressure in a season opener carries more weight than scoring freely in a high-scoring game, underlining his temperament and potential.
