“Need a Reset”: Tom Moody Drops Big Hint on Rishabh Pant’s Future as LSG Captain

BY: Webdunia News Team

Publish: Sun, 24 May 2026 (13:26 IST) Updated: Sun, 24 May 2026 (13:27 IST)

Lucknow Super Giants could be heading towards a major leadership reset after another disappointing IPL season, with Director of Cricket Tom Moody admitting that captain Rishabh Pant has found the pressures of leadership difficult to manage.

LSG are set to finish either ninth or 10th in the IPL 2026 standings after suffering a seven-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings on Saturday. The franchise had also endured a poor 2025 season, finishing seventh, rising serious questions about the team’s direction under Pant’s captaincy.

Across the last two seasons, Lucknow Super Giants have managed just 10 wins in 28 matches under Pant’s leadership.

Speaking after the defeat, Tom Moody admitted the franchise would now reflect on the future of the team and its leadership structure.

“From a captaincy point of view, he’s found it challenging, obviously, and the results reflect that,” Moody said.

He also suggested that the pressure of captaincy may have impacted Pant’s batting performances.

“You do wonder whether that pressure has also affected his performances with the bat. It’s been a difficult season for us, but we’ll take time to reflect and consider all aspects carefully,” he added.

Pant has faced intense scrutiny since joining LSG for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore deal. While regarded as one of India’s most explosive batters, the wicketkeeper-batter has struggled to replicate his best IPL form since moving to Lucknow.

Pant enjoyed outstanding IPL seasons in 2018 and 2019, scoring 684 and 488 runs respectively at aggressive strike rates above 160. However, over the last two seasons with LSG, he has managed 581 runs at a strike rate of 135.74 — well below his career IPL strike rate.

Moody’s remarks come shortly after Pant lost India’s Test vice-captaincy to KL Rahul and was also dropped from the national ODI squad.

The former Australian cricketer hinted that LSG may now need a fresh start moving forward.

“We certainly haven’t met the standards or expectations we set for ourselves. When it comes to leadership, it’s something we’ll seriously consider for the future,” Moody said.

“Like every department, we’ll reflect calmly on the season and make considered decisions. Right now, it certainly feels like we need to think about a reset.”

Despite the disappointing campaign, Moody avoided blaming any individual player and instead accepted collective responsibility for the team’s struggles.

“We’re all responsible. This is not the time to point fingers at any one person. Everyone must take accountability, and we’ll address the areas that need improvement after proper reflection,” he said.

Meanwhile, Punjab Kings kept their playoff hopes alive with the win over LSG, ending a seven-match losing streak in the process.

However, PBKS’ qualification hopes now depend on the outcome of the clash between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. A victory for Rajasthan Royals would take them to 16 points and officially knock Punjab out of the playoff race.