Lucknow Super Giants head coach Justin Langer said if Phillip Hughes were alive today, he would have been in demand as Rishabh Pant in the IPL mega auction. For the record, Pant was bought for INR 27 crore by LSG. The 27-year-old player is now the most expensive in the history of the Indian Premier League. He was released by Delhi Capitals before the auction and kept his base price at INR 2 crore. Several franchises went after his name, but it was Lucknow who outnumbered Delhi despite the latter using the RTM card.
Langer wrote a column for The West Australian, remembering Hughes.
“Pant broke the record for the most expensive bid on a player in IPL. My franchise, Lucknow Super Giants, paid $ 5 million for him. Not bad for eight weeks of work. If Hughes were alive today, he would have got high prices for his batting and the energy he brought to the group. Sadly, he would never come to know.”
The 54-year-old lauded Pant for his performances. “When selecting a squad, talent, temperament, character and personality play a big role. Pant played a massive role in India’s win in the previous tour of Australia. He single-handedly put us on the back foot. It wouldn’t surprise me if he has a similar impact this summer.”
The southpaw scored 97 in the fourth innings in Sydney in 2021 when the visitors were chasing 407. His most impressive knock came in the fourth and final Test in Brisbane. His unbeaten 89 helped India chase down 329.
On November 25, 2014, Hughes was hit on his neck by a bouncer from Sean Abbott while playing in a Sheffield Shield match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He passed away on November 27.
Leave a Reply