IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant Faces Backlash Over His Batting Form As Satirical Video Sparks Sister’s Outrage

In the glitzy, high-pressure world of the Indian Premier League (IPL), cricket is no longer just a sport—it’s a stage for drama, strategy, and spectacle. But sometimes, the drama spills beyond the pitch and into social media feeds, bringing families and fans into a whirlwind of memes, satire, and very real emotions. This season, it’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant who finds himself at the heart of such a storm.

When a Joke Hits Too Close to Home

What began as a humorous take by parody sports platform The Fauxy turned into a heated online debate, with emotions running high on both sides. In a now-viral satirical video, the platform mocked Pant’s staggering ₹27 crore IPL auction deal—one of the biggest buys in league history.

The skit jokingly suggested that LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka might recover his investment by hiring Pant as his personal chauffeur. The clip featured outrageous lines like:

“All other IPL teams are reportedly offering ₹27 crore to LSG to ensure Pant never joins them,”
and
“Goenka is now considering making Pant his full-time driver after his performance behind the wheel is reportedly better than with the bat.”

While some laughed off the jokes, others—particularly those close to Pant—did not find it funny.

Sister’s Clapback Sparks Firestorm

Among the most vocal critics of the parody was Pant’s sister, Sakshi Pant, who didn’t mince words in her Instagram response. Taking to her stories, she wrote:

“That’s why we say two-faced people/media.”

The remark quickly gained traction online, igniting debates about the fine line between satire and insensitivity. Some fans lauded Sakshi for defending her brother and calling out what she saw as needless trolling under the guise of humor. Others, however, argued that satire is a form of expression and that public figures—especially athletes in a billion-dollar league—must be prepared for such scrutiny.

Pant’s Performance: A Tough Start to IPL 2025

Unfortunately, the satire didn’t arise in a vacuum. Rishabh Pant’s form with the bat has been underwhelming this season. In the four matches played so far, the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batsman has managed to score just 19 runs—including a golden duck against his former franchise, Delhi Capitals, and single-digit scores against Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians.

His slow start has raised eyebrows not only for its statistical drop but also because it came after a long layoff from professional cricket. Pant had spent months recovering from a life-threatening car accident in December 2022 and was making a much-anticipated comeback as a leader in IPL 2025.

However, with such a massive price tag and captaincy duties on his shoulders, expectations were sky-high—and the results, so far, have fallen well short.

The Shadow of Goenka’s Gambit

LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka’s bold call to bid ₹27 crore on Pant—replacing KL Rahul as skipper—was one of the most talked-about moments of the auction. It sent a clear message: the franchise believed in Pant’s leadership and long-term potential, both on and off the field.

Yet just a few matches into the season, that decision is already under fire, with critics calling it premature. The parody video’s mention of Goenka “apologizing to KL Rahul” served as a sharp, if exaggerated, commentary on the internal and external pressure building within the LSG camp.

The Price of Public Life: Family in the Firing Line

What Sakshi Pant’s reaction reveals is something often overlooked in these high-stakes competitions—the emotional toll on families.

Just weeks earlier, Sakshi had celebrated her wedding to businessman Ankit Choudhary in a star-studded ceremony in Dehradun, attended by legends like MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina. The event was joyous, serene, and a world apart from the chaos now unfolding online.

Her Instagram response wasn’t just about defending Rishabh—it was about protecting a loved one from what she perceived as unfair ridicule. And in doing so, she inadvertently stepped into the same media spotlight that she was criticizing.

It’s a dilemma many families of public figures face in the digital age—how to defend without becoming part of the spectacle themselves.

Fan Reactions: Divided and Vocal

The internet, never short of opinions, quickly polarized. Some fans stood firmly behind Sakshi, sharing messages like:

“A sister will always stand up for her brother. Nothing wrong in that.”
“That video was in poor taste. You can make jokes without being demeaning.”

Others, however, disagreed:

“Satire is satire. If you’re a public figure making crores, you have to take it on the chin.”
“This is classic IPL banter. Everyone gets roasted—it’s not personal.”

Where Does Rishabh Go From Here?

For Pant, the road ahead won’t be easy. The media scrutiny will only intensify unless there’s a significant turnaround in his form. With LSG struggling to find rhythm as a unit, the pressure on their skipper is immense—not just to deliver runs but to lead by example.

Yet, Pant’s career has never followed a conventional arc. He’s bounced back from injuries, criticism, and early-career inconsistency to become one of India’s most entertaining and impactful cricketers. Fans of Pant will hope that this is just another valley before a towering peak.

The Bigger Picture: Satire vs Sensitivity in Sports Media

The incident also reignites a broader conversation around the boundaries of humor in sports journalism and content creation.

Satire plays a vital role in holding power to account and adding levity to serious situations. But when it crosses into mockery of personal struggles—especially in cases involving health, comebacks, or family—it risks alienating those it aims to entertain.

As the IPL becomes more than just a cricket tournament and increasingly a full-fledged entertainment ecosystem, creators, journalists, and fans will need to constantly reassess where they draw the line.

A League of Pressure, Passion, and Personal Stakes

The Rishabh Pant–Sakshi Pant–Fauxy triangle is more than just a meme war or a sibling spat. It encapsulates the intense emotional terrain of modern-day cricket, where athletes are brands, performances are commodities, and every joke or jibe has the potential to go viral.

Whether Pant silences critics with the bat in the coming games remains to be seen. But one thing is certain—the spotlight is now brighter than ever, and everything he does, on and off the field, will be watched with microscopic intensity.

In the end, cricket may still be a game. But for those at its center—players, families, owners, and fans—it’s a deeply personal, emotional, and often unforgiving journey.

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