Rishabh Pant's unbeaten 32 off 10 balls helped Lucknow Super Giants secure a nine-run victory over Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Lucknow, but the bigger question lingers: what has happened to his T20 form?

Once hailed as one of India's brightest white-ball stars, Pant's journey has taken an unexpected turn. In IPL 2026, despite being the league's most expensive player at a record-breaking Rs 27 crore, his performances have been inconsistent at best. Thursday's win snapped a six-match losing streak for LSG, but Pant's season has mirrored his broader career trajectory over the past few years—flashes of brilliance punctuated by prolonged dry spells.

It's a remarkable shift for a player who burst onto the scene in 2016 as a fearless six-hitter destined to dominate T20 cricket. Back then, doubts centered on whether his aggressive style could survive the demands of Test cricket. A decade later, the script has flipped. Pant is now regarded as one of India's greatest match-winners in Test cricket, producing unforgettable knocks overseas and redefining the wicketkeeper-batter role. But in white-ball cricket, especially T20s, consistency has become a growing concern.

His breakthrough IPL season came in 2018 with Delhi Capitals, when he amassed 684 runs in 14 innings at an average of 52.61 and a strike rate above 173, including a century and five fifties. That season convinced many that Indian cricket had found its next T20 superstar. Yet, despite occasional flashes, Pant has never crossed the 500-run mark in an IPL season since.

The pressure is mounting from all sides. His changing role at LSG, growing competition for India spots, and falling returns in T20 cricket have added to the scrutiny. Even former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has admitted concerns about Pant's form. While Thursday's cameo provided a much-needed spark, it only raises more questions about whether the Rs 27 crore man can rediscover the magic that once made him the most exciting young talent in the game.