By hook or by crook: Rishabh Pant accused of faking injury in the KKR vs LSG IPL 2025 match

How far would a captain go for a win? As far as the rules allow, and as far as it takes to secure crucial points in a league as big as the IPL. Rishabh Pant is known for his animated presence on the field, expressive yet harmless. However, the wicketkeeper-batter, who is leading the Lucknow Super Giants in the ongoing IPL season, has come under the scrutiny of fans. In LSG's recent fixture, the KKR vs LSG clash at Eden Gardens, Pant was seen seeking on-field medical assistance due to discomfort in his lower back.

The physio rushed in to assess the skipper mid-innings. Interestingly, the issue seemed to disappear quickly, as Pant continued without further trouble, and LSG managed to defend their total by a narrow margin of 4 runs against the home side. But hours after the match, eagle-eyed fans on social media alleged that Pant’s discomfort was nothing more than a deliberate act, a ploy to disrupt KKR’s momentum.

Did Rishabh Pant repeat his antics from the T20 World Cup in the KKR vs LSG IPL 2025 match?

Lucknow Super Giants edged past Kolkata Knight Riders by a narrow four-run margin in a high-scoring thriller at Eden Gardens, clinching their third victory in five games. Despite piling up a massive 238 runs, Lucknow had to dig deep as KKR mounted a fierce chase. KKR, playing at home, looked well in control during a 73-run stand between Rahane and Iyer for the third wicket. At the end of 12 overs, KKR were cruising at 149/2, needing only 90 runs from the remaining 48 balls, a pretty reasonable ask from the home team.

Just when things were slipping out of LSG’s hands, Shardul Thakur stepped up at the end of the 13th over, removing Rahane in a bizarre over that featured five wides and a total of 11 deliveries. That wicket triggered a collapse. LSG picked up scalps in each of the next three overs. The turning point, according to fans online, may have come at the beginning of that 13th over. Rishabh Pant appeared to be in discomfort with a sudden back issue, prompting on-field treatment and a brief pause that visibly unsettled the flow of the game. While Pant chose to carry on, the incident raised eyebrows.

Rishabh Pant's masterclass 🙇‍♂️#KKRvsLSG pic.twitter.com/5hzCkA5hzR

— Utsav 💙 (@utsav__45) April 8, 2025

Social media users suggested Pant might have exaggerated the injury to disrupt KKR’s momentum, a ploy they believe he also employed during the T20 World Cup final last June, which immediately preceded a crucial breakthrough when Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed. Unlike this time, Pant following the T20 World Cup victory had accepted that he staged the discomfort to bring a halt to the game and disturb Klaasen's momentum. However, after the KKR vs LSG IPL 2025 match, Pant didn't tweak his claims, informing that his back is doing "fine now" during the post-match presentation.