“I don’t think we will be able to see his best”

Wasim Jaffer feels Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) owner Sanjiv Goenka’s involvement has added pressure on Rishabh Pant in the ongoing IPL 2026. He opined that the southpaw is unlikely to deliver his best in such a scenario.

Pant has scored just 204 runs from nine matches at a strike rate of 128.30. The Lucknow-based side slumped to their sixth straight defeat with a six-wicket loss to Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday, May 4.

Jaffer suggested that Pant’s body language in recent matches has made it evident that he has been under immense pressure. The former Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and India batter said in his YouTube video:

“You will not be able to give your best because of that pressure; it doesn’t bring out the best. You perform well when you play with an open heart and don’t think about these things. I don’t think we will be able to see his best, with the state of mind he is in now. It is visible from his body language and face how much pressure he is under.”

Jaffer also claimed that Pant was not the right person to captain LSG. He mentioned that his choice for the leadership role would have been Aiden Markram. The 48-year-old added:

“They lost a lot of matches easily, even the ones that they could have won. Their players did not perform, and there are big names in the coaching staff who were not able to motivate the players. They need to sit down and discuss the strategy. I have said it time and again that Rishabh Pant is not the right man to lead. I would have probably put in Aiden Markram as a captain in this team because of his sound mentality and temperament.”

LSG have just two wins to their name in nine matches and are languishing at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table.

“That puts pressure on the players” – Wasim Jaffer on LSG team owner Sanjiv Goenka’s approach

Wasim Jaffer also pointed out that Sanjiv Goenka has often been seen interacting with the LSG players. He stated that every owner wants his team to win the IPL trophy, but it was not right to put extra pressure on the players.

The cricketer-turned-coach added in the same video:

“The owners need to show some patience and should not put too much pressure. Every owner wants to win the trophy. Which owner would not want that? If you are in your face, be in front of the media so much, and are seen interacting with the players, that puts pressure on the players. The players generally don’t do well under such pressure.”

The Rishabh Pant-led side will next take on defending champions RCB in Lucknow on Thursday, May 7.