Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, May 5: Former Indian opener Virender Sehwag has advised struggling Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant to reach out to his role model MS Dhoni for guidance, as the wicketkeeper-batter endures his worst IPL season yet.

Pant, who fetched a record-breaking ?27 crore at the last auction, has managed just 128 runs in 10 innings, with only one fifty and five single-digit scores. In Sunday’s match against Punjab Kings, he scored a slow 18 off 17 balls while chasing 237, as LSG slumped to their sixth loss in 11 games.

“He has a mobile. All he has to do is call someone. If he's feeling mentally low, talking to experienced players can help,” Sehwag said on Cricbuzz. “Dhoni is his idol — he should pick up the phone and call him. It will help him get clarity.”

Sehwag also encouraged Pant to revisit footage of his own successful past performances to rediscover his rhythm. Drawing from his own experience, Sehwag recalled how watching old clips helped him bounce back after a poor run in 2006/07.

“This Rishabh Pant is not the same as before his injury,” Sehwag added. “Sometimes, we forget what worked. Watching those old innings can help him reconnect with his game.”

Pant’s current average of 12.80 and a strike rate below 100 mark a sharp decline from his career IPL stats — 3,412 runs in 122 matches at an average of 33.13, with 19 fifties and a century.

With LSG’s playoff hopes fading, all eyes are on Pant to rediscover his form — or risk ending the season as one of the tournament’s biggest disappointments.