Justin Langer Reveals Rishabh Pant 'Haunted' Him in Last Two Series: 'He's Now My Mate at LSG'"

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) head coach Justin Langer shared that Rishabh Pant is no longer his rival but has become a friend. This statement came on Day 1 of the second Test between Australia and India. Recently, Pant was bought by Lucknow for a huge Rs 27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction in Saudi Arabia.
Pant is likely to be the new captain of Lucknow after the team let go of former captain KL Rahul. As a result, the Indian wicketkeeper will work closely with Langer at LSG. Reflecting on their past encounters, Langer mentioned how Pant had troubled him with his performances during earlier tours of Australia. However, now that Pant is part of LSG, Langer considers him a mate as he walked out to bat on Day 1.

"Rishabh Pant has haunted me the most from the last two series. He's now my mate as he'll be with LSG" said Langer.

A welcome boundary for @RishabhPant17! 💪

Let's get the 𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗔𝗕𝗛-𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗜 started 😁#AUSvINDOnStar 2nd Test 👉 LIVE NOW on Star Sports! #AUSvIND | #ToughestRivalry pic.twitter.com/RMcEvROBIS

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) December 6, 2024

Pant's Memorable Innings in Sydney: A Game-Changer for India

Rishabh Pant was very important in his last visit to Australia in 2020-21. In the third Test at Sydney, he scored a notable 96 runs on Day 5, keeping India's chances alive in their pursuit of a big target. His performance led to a draw, maintaining the series at 1-1 before the final Test at the Gabba in Brisbane.
In the next Test, Pant again stood out, making 89 runs to help India win in an exciting match. India managed to chase down a tough target of 328 on the last day, largely due to Pant’s efforts. This win in Brisbane, after 32 years, marked India’s second straight Test series win in Australia, both times with Justin Langer as coach. After the game, Langer compared Pant’s performance to Ben Stokes’ famous innings at Headingley during the 2019 Ashes, saying it was equally memorable.