Lucknow Super Giants Coach Welcomes Rishabh Pant as a New Teammate
In an interesting turn of events during the first day of the second Test match between Australia and India, Justin Langer, the head coach of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), expressed his new-found camaraderie with Rishabh Pant, who was once considered his rival. Langer’s remarks followed the recent IPL 2025 mega auction, where Pant was acquired by LSG for a staggering Rs 27 crore.
Having released former captain KL Rahul prior to the auction, Lucknow is looking toward Pant to potentially take on the captaincy role. This means the young Indian wicketkeeper will be working closely with Langer moving forward, and the coach affectionately referred to him as "mate" as Pant stepped onto the pitch during the first session.
Reflecting on their past encounters, Langer acknowledged that Pant had given him a tough time on previous tours to Australia. However, he was excited about their new chapter together after LSG secured Pant’s services. "Rishabh Pant has haunted me the most from the last two series. Now, a week ago, I hope he’s my favourite person in the world with the Lucknow Super Giants picking him. Now he’s my mate, not my nemesis,” Langer shared during the match commentary.
Pant’s Remarkable Performances in Australia
Rishabh Pant has a history of impressive performances, especially during his last tour of Australia in 2020-21. He played a critical role in keeping India’s hopes alive with a striking 96 runs on the fifth day of the third Test in Sydney, which ended in a thrilling draw, keeping the series tied at 1-1.
In the following Test at Brisbane, Pant delivered an unforgettable performance, scoring 89 runs and helping India chase down a massive target of 328 runs. This remarkable victory marked India’s first win at the Gabba in 32 years and secured their second consecutive Test series win in Australia, both of which took place while Langer was the head coach of the Australian team. Langer even drew parallels between Pant’s innings and Ben Stokes’ iconic performance during the 2019 Ashes, highlighting the impact of his contributions on the series.
As the match unfolds, fans eagerly anticipate seeing how the relationship between Langer and Pant develops, as they prepare to make a mark together in the upcoming IPL season.
