Aakash Chopra Urges Rishabh Pant to Change ‘Unorthodox’ Approach Ahead of IPL 2026

Aakash Chopra has urged Rishabh Pant to rethink his risky batting approach ahead of IPL 2026 as concerns grow over his white-ball form and T20I future.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra has raised concerns over Rishabh Pant’s batting approach ahead of the 2026 season of the Indian Premier League. Pant, who will lead Lucknow Super Giants, faces mounting scrutiny after a string of inconsistent performances in white-ball cricket.

Chopra believes Pant’s tendency to rely on unorthodox strokeplay has worked against him, particularly when situations demand composure and patience.

“The scrutiny around Rishabh Pant is justified. He is a prisoner of his own reputation for playing unorthodox shots and rarely looks to grind out runs when the situation demands it. Last season, despite opportunities to take time and rebuild his form, he continued to play risky shots, which drew criticism,” Chopra was quoted as saying on JioHotstar.

T20I Future in Doubt, Call for Technical Reset

Chopra also pointed out that Pant has slipped out of contention in India’s T20I plans despite being part of a World Cup-winning squad not long ago. According to him, the shifting dynamics in team selection have made it imperative for Pant to reassess his game.

“Having been part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad in Barbados, he is now completely out of the conversation for the national side. The selectors and management went from selecting a middle-order keeper to an opener keeper and a keeper who can bat at three. While the IPL is massive, representing India remains the ultimate priority, and losing that spot means it’s time for him to go back to the drawing board,” he added.

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Chopra further explained that while Pant’s unconventional style has delivered success in Test cricket, it has not always aligned with traditional expectations, even drawing concern from former head coach Rahul Dravid.

“We sometimes fail to understand what Rishabh Pant brings to the table and how he sees the game unfold. In Test cricket, he had conversations with Rahul Dravid when he was the Head Coach. Rahul bhai was not very happy with Pant’s batting approach. To give credit where it’s due, Pant sees the game very differently from most of us who see it conventionally,” he said.

Yuvraj Singh’s Guidance Seen as Positive Step

Despite the criticism, Chopra highlighted a positive development, Pant’s willingness to evolve and seek guidance. The wicketkeeper-batter has reportedly reached out to former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh to refine his game.

“The most heartening thing for me is his acceptance that he needs to change something in his game. He needs to look for a blueprint. Something is not going right. He knows he is that good. The fact that he has approached Yuvraj Singh for help shows he acknowledges that he needs guidance, help and assistance. That is a great sign. With the quality, talent and skills he has, it is a travesty that he is not killing it in white-ball cricket,” he noted.

Pant’s numbers from the previous IPL season reflect his struggles, having scored 269 runs in 13 matches at an average of 24.45. All eyes will now be on him when Lucknow Super Giants kick off their IPL 2026 campaign against Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium on April 1.