"Pant wants to think like Dhoni and is also captaining like that" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant ahead of LSG's IPL 2025 clash vs CSK
Former India player Aakash Chopra has noted that Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant tries to replicate MS Dhoni's leadership mantra. However, he opined that the LSG skipper's batting will be in focus in their IPL 2025 clash against the Chennai Super Kings (CSK).
LSG will host CSK in Match 30 of IPL 2025 in Lucknow on Monday, April 14. Pant has aggregated 40 runs at a dismal average of 8.00 in five innings in the ongoing edition of the Indian Premier League.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener pointed out that although Pant has led LSG well in IPL 2025, he hasn't been among the runs.
"Are there any things for them (LSG) that would be in focus? It is a fight between the guru and his student. There is Dhoni on one side and Pant on the other. Pant wants to think like Dhoni and is also captaining like that. Somebody was telling me that, just like Dhoni, he leaves his room open for anyone to come and have discussions," Chopra said (8:05).
"That's the kind of atmosphere he is trying to create. However, runs haven't been scored. The truth is that neither Rishabh Pant nor Rohit Sharma has scored runs. So the first thing in focus will be whether Rishabh Pant will score runs," he added.
The cricketer-turned-commentator wondered whether Pant would continue to open, highlighting that LSG need Mitchell Marsh back at the top of the order.
"The second is whether Rishabh Pant will open. He came to open in the last match. Will Mitchell Marsh return? No one has told us anything as of now. It will make a huge difference if he returns. However, if he doesn't come, there will be a slight problem for sure," Chopra observed.
Marsh has amassed 265 runs at a strike rate of 180.27 in five innings in IPL 2025. He missed LSG's last game against the Gujarat Titans (GT) at the same venue on April 12 as his daughter was unwell.
"He is in a different league altogether" - Aakash Chopra on Nicholas Pooran ahead of LSG's IPL 2025 clash vs CSK
![Nicholas Pooran has smashed 349 runs at a strike rate of 215.43 in six innings in IPL 2025. [P/C: Getty]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/04/7e60f-17446169006481-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Nicholas Pooran has been the Lucknow Super Giants' most consistent performer with the bat in IPL 2025.
"Lucknow have won three consecutive games. You have got heroes in those three games, but a constant thread has been Nicholas Pooran. He has gotten out early in just one match, which was against Mumbai, but after that, he hit at the Eden Gardens and at home as well. He demolished both Gujarat and KKR guys. He is in a different league altogether," he said.
The analyst added that David Miller might have to raise his game if either Pooran or Aiden Markram doesn't fire, especially if Mitchell Marsh isn't available.
"We haven't seen David Miller's charisma with the bat that much. Miller will have to do a little more if one of Markram and Pooran fails. They can also play Matthew Breetzke, whom they didn't play. They went with only three overseas in the last match," Chopra observed.
To conclude, Aakash Chopra urged LSG to consider playing Shamar Joseph if they feel their bowling is not going good. While observing that Shardul Thakur, Avesh Khan and Akash Deep have tried their best, he highlighted that the franchise's bowling is slightly weak.