Punjab Kings brutally trolls Rishabh Pant over his controversial “tension” statement after humiliating Lucknow in Ekana

Punjab Kings trolled Rishabh Pant after beating Lucknow, referencing his past 'tension' remark about potentially being bought by them.

Punjab Kings brutally trolls Rishabh Pant over his controversial “tension” statement after humiliating Lucknow in Ekana

PBKS trolled LSG skipper Rishabh Pant over his past remarks, following a comfortable win over their rivals. (via X)

Lucknow Super Giants skipper Rishabh Pant was brutally trolled by Punjab Kings, following his side’s disastrous eight-wicket defeat at the Ekana Stadium. PBKS aimed a cheeky dig at Pant for having remarked that he faced ‘tension’ at the fact of being bought by Punjab Kings.

Rishabh Pant’s old comments came to light, following LSG’s humiliating eight-wicket defeat to their rivals, in Lucknow. Batting first, LSG posted a competitive total of 171 runs in 20 overs, losing seven wickets. Trinidadian batter and the current Purple Cap holder Nicholas Pooran top-scored for LSG, with 44 runs of 30 balls, while Ayush Badoni played a crucial knock at the end. 

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PBKS, who came off the back of a brilliant opening win over Gujarat Titans, successfully chased the target in just 16.2 overs. Man of the Match Prabhsimran Singh scored 69 runs off just 34 balls, with his knock consisting of nine boundaries and three sixes. Meanwhile, skipper Shreyas Iyer scored his second half-century of the season, and Nehal Wadhera added another 43 runs.

Moreover, LSG skipper Rishabh Pant’s poor batting display is what raised eyebrows, with the 27-year-old scoring just two runs off five balls. Pant, who remains the IPL’s most-expensive player, has struggled, having scored just 17 runs in his first three matches this season. He scored a six-ball duck in LSG’s opening match against DC, and managed to score just 15 runs in the following game, against SRH.

This in turn, allowed Punjab Kings to look back at one of Rishabh Pant’s old statements. The 27-year-old, in an interview with Star Sports, had controversially suggested that he was not keen on playing for Punjab Kings. Pant also added that his only ‘tension’ during the auction was to be picked by PBKS at the 2025 IPL Mega Auction. Pant’s revelation immediately went viral on social media.

It was widely anticipated that PBKS would bid for the wicket-keeper batsman, as they had the biggest purse heading into the auction. However, they opted to secure Shreyas Iyer’s services instead, for INR 26.75 crores, while Pant joined LSG, for a record INR 27 crores. Punjab Kings, following their recent victory over LSG, took an irresistible dig at the 27-year-old.

PBKS shared a video of their skipper Shreyas Iyer, with a caption which noted that Pant’s ‘tension’ should have ended in the auction itself, and should have continued into the season. The social media banter could escalate into a newfound rivalry between the two IPL sides. Moreover, the contrasting start to the journeys of Shreyas Iyer and Rishabh Pant, who once played together at DC, has gained attention. 

Nonetheless, LSG will be hoping to bounce back from the recent setback, when they take on five-time IPL winners Mumbai Indians on Friday, 4 April. Punjab on the other hand, will face off against Rajasthan Royals on Saturday, 5 April. 

LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka’s intense post-match talk with Rishabh Pant Sparks KL Rahul deja-vu

Lucknow Super Giants bought Rishabh Pant for a record-breaking sum of INR 27 crores at the 2025 IPL Mega Auction. However, the 27-year-old has experienced a distraught start with his new team, with many fans having already labeled him a ‘27 crore-flop’. 

Sanjiv Goenka and Rishabh Pant
LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka was seen having an intense discussion with Rishabh Pant, sparking KL Rahul deja-vu. (via NDTV)

Following LSG’s recent defeat to Punjab Kings at home, team owner Sanjiv Goenka had an intense post-match conversation with Pant on the pitch. Goenka has a reputation of publicly questioning his team’s captains. Former LSG skipper KL Rahul had to face Goenka’s wrath, with the 32-year-old being later stripped off his captaincy. 

Moreover, in his similar conversation with current captain Rishabh Pant, Sanjiv Goenka was even seen pointing a finger at the LSG skipper. Nonetheless, the two were later seen smiling during the chat, cooling off speculations.