Rishabh Pant will bounce back stronger, says Kiran More
Synopsis
Former chief selector Kiran More isn't writing off Rishabh Pant — he's invoking the cricketer's near-fatal accident comeback as the benchmark. With 286 runs in 13 games and LSG rooted to the bottom, the pressure is real, but More insists this phase is 'nothing' compared to what Pant has already survived.
Key Takeaways
Former chief selector Kiran More backed Rishabh Pant to make a strong comeback from his current lean run in IPL 2026 .
Pant has scored just 286 runs in 13 matches in IPL 2026; Lucknow Super Giants are at the bottom of the points table .
Pant was replaced by KL Rahul as India's Test vice-captain and lost his ODI keeper slot to Ishan Kishan for the Afghanistan series in June .
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi leads IPL 2026 run-scoring with 579 runs at a strike rate of 236.32 for Rajasthan Royals ; More called him a 'special player.' More attended trials for the Beyond Reach Premier League in Ghaziabad , a new initiative for tennis-ball cricketers.
Former India wicketkeeper and chief selector Kiran More has thrown his weight behind Rishabh Pant, asserting that the Lucknow Super Giants captain will emerge stronger from his current lean patch in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. More, speaking in Ghaziabad on Thursday, 21 May, said every cricketer goes through difficult phases and Pant's fighting spirit sets him apart.
Pant's Difficult Run in IPL 2026
Pant has managed just 286 runs in 13 matches in IPL 2026, a lean return by his standards. Under his captaincy, the Lucknow Super Giants find themselves at the bottom of the points table. The struggles have extended beyond the IPL: he was replaced by KL Rahul as India's vice-captain in Tests, and lost the second wicketkeeper slot in ODIs to Ishan Kishan for the upcoming series against Afghanistan in June. He also drew criticism for using offensive language on a live broadcast after LSG's defeat to the Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.
What Kiran More Said
'No, it's nothing like that, I am not disappointed at all. Pant is in the team, and I am very happy. He is a fighter, a player with immense courage, has a big heart, and he has performed exceptionally well winning Test matches single-handedly. I have worked quite closely with him, and I know him very well,' More said.
'Every cricketer goes through a phase like this; you pass through such times. So I think there will definitely be a great comeback, and a strong comeback. When his life was saved, and he returned to the team, he performed so well, so this (current phase) is nothing compared to that,' More added. The remarks are a pointed reference to Pant's recovery from a near-fatal road accident in December 2022, after which he returned to international cricket and delivered several match-winning performances.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi: A 'Special Player'
More also lavished praise on Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been one of the standout performers of IPL 2026, amassing 579 runs in 13 matches for the Rajasthan Royals at a staggering strike rate of 236.32 — leading the tournament's run-scoring charts.
'He is a special player, and God has created and sent him… just let him play cricket freely and don't put too much pressure on him because he's performing so well at such an early age,' More said, adding that he wants Sooryavanshi to eventually represent India across all three formats.
Beyond Reach Premier League Launch
More was present in Ghaziabad for the trials of the Beyond Reach Premier League, a new initiative aimed at tennis-ball cricketers. 'This is a special league, and we want to do something different. This was our first trial, and a lot of boys showed up for this, and we got to see some very interesting talent,' he said. The league represents an effort to tap into grassroots cricket talent outside the formal domestic structure.
With Pant still part of India's plans and the IPL season approaching its business end, all eyes will be on whether the southpaw can rediscover his best form before the national selectors finalise squads for upcoming assignments.
Point of View
But it also papers over a structural concern: Pant's struggles in IPL 2026 are not merely a form slump — they coincide with captaincy pressure and a demotion in national team hierarchy. The comparison to his post-accident return is emotionally resonant but analytically incomplete; that comeback was driven by physical recovery, while this one demands a technical and temperamental reset under scrutiny. Selectors quietly replacing him as Test vice-captain and ODI second keeper signals that patience, while not exhausted, is being rationed. The next two to three IPL innings may carry more weight than any single series in his career since his return.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Rishabh Pant struggling in IPL 2026?
Rishabh Pant has scored 286 runs in 13 IPL 2026 matches, a below-par return by his standards, while captaining Lucknow Super Giants who sit at the bottom of the points table. He has also faced off-field criticism for using offensive language on a live broadcast after a defeat to Rajasthan Royals.
What did Kiran More say about Rishabh Pant's comeback?
Kiran More said Pant is 'a fighter with immense courage' and predicted 'a great comeback, and a strong comeback.' He pointed to Pant's return from a near-fatal road accident in December 2022 as evidence that the current lean phase is comparatively minor.
Has Rishabh Pant lost his place in the Indian team?
Pant has been replaced by KL Rahul as India's Test vice-captain and lost the second wicketkeeper spot in ODIs to Ishan Kishan for the Afghanistan series in June 2026. He has not been dropped entirely, but his national team standing has visibly slipped.
Who is Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and how has he performed in IPL 2026?
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is a young batter playing for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2026. He leads the tournament's run-scoring charts with 579 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of 236.32. Kiran More described him as a 'special player' and expressed hope that he will represent India across all formats.
What is the Beyond Reach Premier League?
The Beyond Reach Premier League is a new cricket initiative aimed at tennis-ball cricketers. Kiran More supervised its first trials in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, on 21 May 2026, with the stated goal of identifying grassroots talent outside the formal domestic structure.
