Virender Sehwag Criticizes Rishabh Pant After Ashutosh Sharma's Dramatic Run Chase

Rishabh Pant was in the news as Lucknow Super Giants lost a thrilling match against Delhi Capitals in IPL 2025. Even though they posted a massive total of 210 runs, LSG could not keep their nose in front as DC came back in an incredible manner led by Ashutosh Sharma. DC was reeling at 65 for five at one point, and it appeared as though LSG was in the driving seat. But a fantastic knock by Ashutosh altered the nature of the game. The match ended in a thriller when Mohit Sharma was able to score a single, which provided Ashutosh with the strike in the final over. He then finished the match in style by hitting a six off the third ball to win an amazing game for DC.

Former cricketers Virender Sehwag and Amit Mishra had different views on what went wrong for LSG. Amit Mishra said that injuries played a big part in the team's loss. He explained that LSG didn't have the valuable fast bowlers, including Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Mohsin Khan, and Akash Deep. Mishra reminded us that the absence of Avesh Khan was particularly critical. LSG had paid huge sums in fetching him in the auction earlier on, and he would have made a valuable impact in such a high-pressure environment. He felt that with Avesh featuring, LSG would have decided the game even earlier. He also mentioned that the dismissal of Nicholas Pooran by Starc at a crucial juncture helped DC to gain control of the match. Sehwag, on the other hand, had a different explanation and squarely placed the blame on Rishabh Pant for LSG's loss.

Pant's role, in his opinion, was to control the game and take proper decisions at critical moments. He felt that Pant could have looked for a way to release the brakes and make his most of the bowlers. Sehwag argued that instead of focusing on the missing players, Pant and his team must have tried hard to achieve the maximum out of the available players. He also mentioned that if Avesh Khan were there, he could have obtained early wickets and the match could have got over much sooner. However, Sehwag emphasized the point that rather than dwelling on what was lost, the team needs to stay with the present and do as per what they saw best in the situation. One of the most talked-about moments in the match was the missed stumping chance by Pant.

In the final over, with six runs needed off six balls, Pant was unable to dismiss Mohit Sharma. That opportunity proved futile, as it allowed Ashutosh Sharma to come and bat and finish the game with a six. Sehwag felt that these are the moments that define the pressure-management abilities of a captain. He berated Pant for losing the match and not making the correct decisions. He felt that Pant could have taken LSG to victory but couldn't utilize the available opportunities. The disagreement between Mishra and Sehwag indicates the complexity of the game.

While injuries were involved in the failure of LSG, leadership decisions also played a role. Cricket is a game of fine margins, and in high-pressure games like these, little mistakes can have enormous consequences. LSG were presented with a golden opportunity to win but failed to close out the game when it mattered most. The discussion on Pant's captaincy will continue, and the fans and pundits will analyze if he made the right decisions during the match. Although the team lost, the match proved the unpredictability of T20 cricket. Ashutosh Sharma's miraculous innings will be remembered as one of the greatest IPL chases.

His handling of pressure and playing in do-or-die situations was simply commendable. For LSG, losing this match will be a lesson. They will have to regroup and work on playing better in future matches. The management also will have to find methods of addressing the lack of senior players and tightening the team. For Pant, this loss will be a lesson in the larger responsibility of leading the team as captain. He will need to enhance his decision-making skills and ensure such mistakes do not recur in future games. As the IPL 2025 tournament keeps going, all the eyes will be on LSG and Rishabh Pant to see how they bounce back from such a crushing defeat. Since there are still many games to be played, Pant will have enough opportunity to prove himself as a leader and silence all the critics.

Cricket enthusiasts will be anxiously waiting to know how he bounces back from this defeat and if he is able to guide his team to wins for the rest of the tournament.