Rishabh Pant has been named captain of the Lucknow Super Giants for the upcoming edition of the IPL.

The 27-year-old set a new IPL record when he went to Lucknow for 270-million rupees ($3.2-million) in the auction in November.

Pant, a flamboyant left-handed batsman, returned as captain of the Delhi Capitals last season after 14 months away from elite cricket following a car crash.

But he parted ways with Delhi Capitals, who ended sixth in the 10-team table of the 2024 season.

“I see a born leader in Rishabh Pant. From my point of view he will be probably the best captain IPL has seen,” Sanjiv Goenka, owner of Lucknow, said in a special TV broadcast.

“Surely Rishabh Pant will play for at least 14-15 years for us, we hope at least five IPL titles in these years.”

Pant has played 150 internationals for India across three formats, scoring 5,028 runs, including seven centuries.

The 18th edition of the tournament will begin on 21 March with Kolkata hosting the opener and the final on 25 May, according to reports in Indian media.

The IPL is a huge earner for Indian cricket and the tournament makes more than $11-billion for the economy each year.

The pioneering IPL helped make T20 cricket hugely popular, spawning copycat events worldwide.

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Photo: BCCI

An explosive Rishabh Pant slammed the second fastest Indian Test half-century to drive his team to a 145-run lead with four wickets left after an intense day two of the decisive fifth Test against Australia.

At the close in Sydney, the visitors were 141-6 with Ravindra Jadeja on eight and Washington Sundar six after they dismissed Australia for 181 in reply to their first-innings 185.

Pant signalled his intent by plundering a six on his first ball, and reached 50 after just 29 deliveries with another big shot that cleared the ropes.

Only his 28-ball half-century against Sri Lanka in 2022 was faster for India.

He was finally dismissed for 61 off 33 by Pat Cummins, but Scott Boland was India’s main tormenter, taking 4-42.

Pant’s exploits set up an exciting finale, with doubts over whether skipper Jasprit Bumrah will take any further part.

He left the field after bowling one over following lunch and left the SCG, likely heading for hospital scans. Bumrah was seen returning some 80 minutes before stumps.

In his absence, Prasidh Krishna (3-42), Mohammed Siraj (3-51) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (2-32) stepped up to fill the void and dismiss Australia after they resumed on 9-1.

The hosts will regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy for the first time since 2014-15 if they win or draw.

Yashasvi Jaiswal got India’s second innings off with a bang, crunching four boundaries from the opening over by Mitchell Starc.

But the opening partnership was quickly shattered when KL Rahul was bowled for 13 by Boland, whose line and length has been impeccable all series.

He pounced again in his next over with a ball that jagged back to deliver the same punishment to Jaiswal (22).

Virat Kohli desperately needed a big score – for himself and the team – but failed to deliver, perishing in the slips for six with his nemesis Boland again the destroyer.

It was likely the 36-year-old’s last Test innings in Australia, with India usually only visiting every four years.

Debutant Beau Webster, who top-scored for Australia with 57, claimed Shubman Gill (13) as his first Test wicket, but at the other end Pant was on a mission until an outside edge off Cummins carried to wicketkeeper Alex Carey.

Boland claimed his fourth to remove Nitish Kumar Reedy cheaply.

Australia lost Sam Konstas (23), Marnus Labuschagne (two), Travis Head (four) and Steve Smith (33) before lunch.

In front of his home crowd, Smith looked set to become only the 15th batsman ever and fourth Australian to reach 10,000 Test runs.

But he was made to wait, five runs short, after Prasidh enticed an edge to Rahul in the slips.

The home side resumed after a dramatic final-ball wicket on Friday when Bumrah, captaining the side after Rohit Sharma was “rested”, had Usman Khawaja caught in the slips.

That Australian body blow came two balls after Bumrah and Konstas had a tense exchange.

The 19-year-old Konstas padded up again on seven with new partner Labuschagne, who didn’t last with Bumrah getting the faintest outside edge to Pant.

A fearless Konstas slammed Bumrah to the boundary, then produced an audacious reverse ramp shot for another four.

But the teenager overplayed his hand and fell to a Siraj outswinger, attempting a drive that flew to Jaiswal at gully.

Siraj removed Travis Head in the same over with another gem to leave Australia tottering at 39-4.

Smith and Webster, in the team for the dropped Mitchell Marsh, began rebuilding the innings before Prasidh dismissed the veteran just before lunch and bowled Carey soon after their return.

India then took 3-4, with Reddy at the forefront, as the tail collapsed.

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India captain Rohit Sharma admits his batting form is “disturbing” after a double failure in the 184-run fourth Test loss to Australia in Melbourne.

Rohit also highlighted the need for teammate Rishabh Pant to bat more sensibly after throwing his wicket away twice in the defeat, which leaves the tourists trailing 2-1 in the series.

Their batting will need to improve for the fifth and final Test starting in Sydney on Friday, which India must win to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

India’s highest run-scorers at the MCG were their two youngest players, continuing a bountiful series for both.

Opener Yashasvi Jaiswal’s 84 made up more than half of India’s second innings of 155, complementing his first-innings knock of 82.

All-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy scored a fighting maiden century in the first innings.

Questions have arisen about the form and ongoing selection of 37-year-old Rohit and to a lesser degree, 36-year-old Virat Kohli.

Rohit struggled throughout the 3-0 home series loss to New Zealand in October-November and has failed to get past 10 runs in any of his five innings in Australia.

“A lot of the things I am trying to do are not falling in the place that I would want to,” Rohit said.

“Mentally, look, it is disturbing without a doubt if you’ve come here and you want to try to do successfully what you are supposed to.

“But as of now that is where it is and there are things that we as a team need to look at, and I personally need to look at as well.

“We will see what happens. There is still a game to go.”

Pant reached 28 and 30 in his two innings but was guilty of gifting his wicket with loose swipes which were caught in the outfield.

Rohit expected middle-order specialist Pant, renowned for an attack-first batting mentality, to fine-tune his approach in Sydney.

“It’s about him understanding and figuring out what is the right way to go about it,” Rohit said. “In the past, he’s given us a lot of success doing what he does.

“But it’s about the certain situation of the game where if there is a risk percentage, do you want to take those risks? Do you want to let the opposition back into the game?”

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