Following a poor IPL 2026 season, Rishabh Pant has resigned as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants to focus on his batting form. He has promptly returned to training at the BCCI CoE, preparing for the upcoming Test against Afghanistan and signaling a renewed focus on his international career.
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has returned to training a day after the Lucknow Super Giants announced his resignation as a captain following the team’s poor performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026.
Under the captaincy of Pant, LSG failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive IPL season, as they finished at the bottom of the points table with just four wins in 14 outings, accumulating eight points and having a net run rate (NRR) of -0.740.
Following the campaign, the 28-year-old requested that the franchise relieve him of his captaincy duties, believing it was necessary to focus entirely on regaining his batting rhythm and form without the pressures of leadership. Due to captaincy pressure, Pant’s batting form appeared to have been impacted as he could aggregate only 312 runs, including a fifty, at an average of 28.30 and a strike rate of 138.05 in 14 matches.
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Rishabh Pant Returns to Training
Following LSG’s campaign in IPL 2026 and subsequent resignation as the franchise’s captain, Rishabh Pant returned to training, as he looks to regain his batting form ahead of the one-off Test against Afghanistan, which will take place at Maharaja Singh PCA Stadium in Mullanpur on June 6.
As the batting form of the wicketkeeper-batter is crucial for the team's balance, Pant didn’t waste any time as he quickly returned to the nets, apparently to refine his technique and rediscover his natural aggressive flair before the upcoming international assignment. In a video posted on his Instagram handle, the southpaw was seen doing training drills at the BCCI CoE in Bengaluru.
Thereafter, Rishabh Pant had a nets session, where he played some of his trademark shots, demonstrating glimpses of the explosive hitting that has made him a vital asset in all formats. The video of the training and nets sessions featured the empowering narration, which states:
"I'm feeling like my old self again. Renewed. Charged. Refocused. With nothing to stop me from being me,”
Rishabh Pant’s return to training after stepping down as Lucknow Super Giants captain marks a significant shift toward prioritizing his personal form and performance. His immediate presence at the BCCI CoE highlights his dedicated effort to shed the pressure of leadership and reconnect with his natural rhythm before the upcoming international Test against Afghanistan.
After stepping down from the LSG captaincy, Pant shifted his focus towards his red-ball cricket, which has been his most successful format and a cornerstone of his international career.
Pant’s Renewed Focus to Provide a Major Boost to Team India
Rishabh Pant’s renewed focus following his resignation as LSG captain and immediate return to the nets is expected to provide a major boost to Team India, as his return to form is considered vital for the team's composition in the upcoming one-off Test against Afghanistan.
Though the one-off Test is not part of the ongoing World Test Championship (WTC) 2026-27 cycle, it will serve as a crucial platform for Team India ahead of the series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Australia, as the Shubman Gill-led side aims to qualify for the WTC final, making this match a key component in assessing player form and squad depth.
The BCCI selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, removed Rishabh Pant as Test vice-captain primarily to allow him to focus entirely on his batting without the added burden of leadership responsibilities. With this change, the committee aims to help him return to being the "best Test player that he has always been".
In his Test career, Rishabh Pant has aggregated 3476 runs, including 8 centuries and 18 fifties, at an average of 42.91 and a strike rate of 74.24 in 49 matches.
Also Read: IPL 2026: RR were 10-15 runs short, says Sangakkara after GT loss
