Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has faced more injury trouble than any fan would want for their favorite player. But good news has finally arrived. Pant, who leads the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), looks set to take the field when IPL 2026 kicks off in late March.
His place in India’s T20 setup, though, tells a harder story. Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Jitesh Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel have all moved ahead of him in the queue.
Pant last wore India’s T20 jersey in July 2024. The selectors chose Samson and Ishan Kishan as the two wicketkeeper options for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
Rishabh Pant Recovers Fully After Injury Setback
Pant suffered a right-sided internal oblique muscle tear during a practice session before the ODI series against New Zealand last month. The injury happened at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 10, during an optional training session.
A throwdown delivery hit him just above the waist on his right side while he was batting in the nets. He dropped to the ground in pain. The team physio, doctor, and head coach Gautam Gambhir rushed to check on him.
At that point, KL Rahul held the first-choice wicketkeeper spot in the ODI team, with Pant acting as backup. Journalist Abhishek Tripathi from Jagran has since reported that Pant has made a full recovery after sitting out the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.
Rishabh Pant to Be Available for All Formats Ahead of IPL 2026
Pant is now fit and ready to play in every format. His return gives LSG a real lift heading into IPL 2026, which starts on March 26.
The 28-year-old has spent much of the last few years fighting his body rather than opposition bowlers. His career hit its lowest point after a frightening car accident in December 2022, which kept him away from cricket for a long stretch.
Since his return, injuries have kept finding him. A finger injury during India’s tour of England last summer and a toe fracture during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England both slowed him down again.
LSG’s Disappointing IPL 2025 Season Under Rishabh Pant
LSG walked into IPL 2025 with low expectations after a weak auction. The team performed a little better than many predicted, but it still was not enough to truly compete.
Pant led the side through a tough campaign. LSG finished seventh in the league stage, winning just six of their 14 matches. He personally scored 269 runs in 13 innings, including one century and one half-century, at a strike rate of 133.16.
Former New Zealand captain Kane Williamson will join LSG this season, though not as a player. He has agreed to take on a Strategic Advisor role for the upcoming campaign. Whether that addition changes LSG’s fortunes remains to be seen.
Pant is fit, and that matters. But fitness alone will not be enough to lift LSG back into serious contention.
