Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, who were the top two buys at the IPL mega auction in November, come face to face as captains when Lucknow Super Giants take on Punjab Kings at the Ekana Stadium tonight. Interestingly, there will be a battle within a battle, as both Pant and Iyer have almost similar stories. Both are prodigiously talented players who captained different franchises last season and are leading the current teams for the first time. There is also tremendous pressure on the two as the new franchises expect them to deliver their maiden IPL title this season.

Rishabh under pressure

There is little doubt that the record moolah their respective owners have showered on the two and the consequent high expectations have put them under tremendous pressure. While Iyer has come out with flying colours in the only match Punjab Kings have played so far, Pant is still struggling to come to terms with the pressure that his 3D responsibilities have brought upon him. He is LSG’s premier batter, wicketkeeper and captain, and, on top of that, the record price tag of Rs 27 crores is weighing him down, which is quite apparent in his body language on the field. Playing his first home game after a win and a loss in the two away matches, he will be desperate to get things on track as far as his batting is concerned. He had also made a few mistakes both as ’keeper and captain, but having overcome a strong SRH in the previous game in Hyderabad, the win has given LSG the momentum to take things forward. How far Pant will be able to take multiple responsibilities in his strides remains to be seen, beginning with the first home game.