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Legendary South African fast bowler Dale Steyn has launched a brutal attack on Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya after Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Mumbai Indians (MI)’s disappointing IPL 2026 campaign.
Both teams failed miserably in the league stage, with Mumbai Indians finishing ninth and Lucknow Super Giants finishing the season at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table despite having star-studded squads. They have failed to perform consistently and well as a team this season.
Dale Steyn criticizes Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya after IPL 2026 disaster
After RR, RCB, GT and SRH confirmed their playoff berth in IPL 2026, Dale Steyn criticized the body language and leadership style shown by both Rishabh Pant and Hardik Pandya during difficult moments this season. The Proteas legend believes that the MI and LSG captains were trying too hard to look calm and relaxed, even when their teams were struggling badly on the field.
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Lucknow Super Giants had another poor season under Pant and failed to qualify for the playoffs for the third consecutive year. The team struggled badly for consistency and managed only eight points from 14 matches.
On the other hand, Mumbai Indians’ campaign under Hardik Pandya was also forgettable. Despite having several big names in the team, the five-time IPL champions failed to dominate the tournament and once again missed the playoffs under Hardik’s captaincy.
Good captains show frustration: Dale Steyn criticizes Rishabh Pant, Hardik Pandya
Dale Steyn told AB de Villiers on his YouTube channel; “I see two captains in this IPL who have done exactly the same thing who are trying to hide the pressure with a smile. One was Rishabh Pant and the other was Hardik Pandya. They are trying to hide that the pressure doesn’t bother them, that whatever is happening in the game, it doesn’t matter. We will come back, you know. We have great players and not once did it look like they were angry or upset, but that smile would really hide it. Yes. They’re really angry.”
Steyn explained that constantly giving positive feedback and talking about “coming back stronger” is no longer enough because franchises invest huge money, so they expect strong performances and a leader who shows frustration for poor performance.
The former South African fast bowler said, “They are professionals. They want to win. They want their teams to do well. And good captains show frustration. Good captains will show I’m angry, I’m upset, and we’re going to get better at it. You know what I mean? Bad captains hide behind a fake smile. And at the end of the season, they’ll still have a smile on their face and they’ll say, ‘Don’t worry, we’ll address it and we’ll be back. Will come. You can’t just keep saying that.”
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Dale Steyn wants an aggressive new captain at Lucknow Supergiants
The former South African fast bowler has openly demanded the sacking of Rishabh Pant after two poor seasons. Steyn suggested that Lucknow Super Giants needed a tough, aggressive and demanding leader who could take complete control of the dressing room and demand accountability from the players, rather than a calm and smiling Rishabh Pant.
He concluded by saying, “They need someone who will take the dressing room by the scruff of the neck, not with a smile on their face, and say, ‘Guys, this is serious business right now. There’s a lot to play for in terms of the IPL. They’re paying you a lot of money. It’s a big tournament. It’s not a tournament where you can just come and sit here and laugh about it and get wooden spoon finishes. That’s not good enough. Is.”