Pant, Iyer face each other in high stakes battle of captains

Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, who were the top two buys at the IPL mega auction in November, come face to face as captains when Lucknow Super Giants take on Punjab Kings at the Ekana Stadium tonight. Interestingly, there will be a battle within a battle, as both Pant and Iyer have almost similar stories. Both are prodigiously talented players who captained different franchises last season and are leading the current teams for the first time. There is also tremendous pressure on the two as the new franchises expect them to deliver their maiden IPL title this season.

Rishabh under pressure

There is little doubt that the record moolah their respective owners have showered on the two and the consequent high expectations have put them under tremendous pressure. While Iyer has come out with flying colours in the only match Punjab Kings have played so far, Pant is still struggling to come to terms with the pressure that his 3D responsibilities have brought upon him. He is LSG’s premier batter, wicketkeeper and captain, and, on top of that, the record price tag of Rs 27 crores is weighing him down, which is quite apparent in his body language on the field. Playing his first home game after a win and a loss in the two away matches, he will be desperate to get things on track as far as his batting is concerned. He had also made a few mistakes both as ’keeper and captain, but having overcome a strong SRH in the previous game in Hyderabad, the win has given LSG the momentum to take things forward. How far Pant will be able to take multiple responsibilities in his strides remains to be seen, beginning with the first home game. 

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Leading by example

On the other hand, Iyer has made an impressive start both as a batter and captain and with his aggressive and selfless approach has won the hearts of both his teammates and cricket lovers. He made a great statement when he let go of a personal milestone for the team’s cause and was left stranded on 97 in the match against Gujarat Titans in Ahmedabad last week. After the win against GT, he will be looking to maintain his and his team’s good run as long as possible in these early days of the tournament.

Punjab Kings bowling coach James Hopes was highly impressed by Iyer’s approach both as a batter and captain. “We all know he is a world-class batsman. The way he places the team’s interest above everything is commendable. Although he has led this team in only one match [as far], we have seen in the past [especially for champions Kolkata Knight Riders last season] how effective he is as a captain. Although these are early days, we expect Punjab Kings to have a very good season this time.”

The pitch at the Ekana Stadium will be under the scanner, as in the past, getting big scores has been difficult. But this time around, there is hope that the wickets will play much better and will provide enthralling contests for the home fans to enjoy during the seven games at the venue over the next few weeks.