Rishabh Pant has been one of the biggest talking points of IPL 2025 — be it for his price tag, his aggressive batting, his flexible batting position, or most importantly, his leadership. Australian all-rounder Mitchell Marsh, a veteran of over 200 international matches, has now praised Pant’s captaincy, saying he sees clear growth and maturity in his leadership.
Speaking ahead of Lucknow Super Giants’ clash with Mumbai Indians, Marsh said,
“Look, I think he’s really growing into a role and he’s still reasonably young, but, yeah, he’s a good leader. And, yeah, he’s just getting better and better. So (I’m) looking forward to hopefully playing under him for a while.”
Marsh, who himself has captained Australia on various occasions, believes Pant’s progression as a leader is a positive sign, not just for Delhi Capitals, but for Indian cricket as a whole.
Despite his own strong performance — 344 runs in eight games at an average of 43 — Marsh has played solely as a batter this season, mainly opening the innings. The team management has used him as an Impact Player, with his bowling services yet to be called upon. However, Marsh hinted that his bowling arm might come into play later in the tournament.
“It’s a different experience (going only as a batter), that’s for sure. I feel like a baseballer. It’s been a lot of fun. I’m open to the role whenever they need me. My bowling will come back at some stage.”
With 37 IPL wickets and 125 international wickets to his name, Marsh remains a potent all-round option. Over his nine IPL seasons, he has represented six different franchises, including Deccan Chargers, Pune Warriors, Rising Pune Supergiant, Sunrisers Hyderabad, and Delhi Capitals before joining Lucknow Super Giants this season.
Talking about his experience with LSG, Marsh said he’s enjoying the atmosphere and camaraderie within the squad.
“It’s been a real pleasure to be a part of it. We’ve got some fantastic humans here, which for me is more important than cricket. Hopefully, we can keep winning.”
LSG currently sit sixth on the points table, with 10 points from nine matches, still in strong contention for a playoff spot.
Marsh also compared the competitiveness of the IPL to international cricket:
“You play in different countries, on different wickets, in different conditions all the time. It’s about preparing well and adjusting quickly. IPL is no less challenging than playing for your country.”
With both Pant’s growing leadership and Marsh’s solid contributions, fans will be eager to see how the rest of the IPL 2025 unfolds for both stars.
