Was Rishabh Pant sacked as LSG captain? Report suggests
What's the story
Lucknow Super Giants will have a new captain for the 2027 Indian Premier League (IPL). This comes after Rishabh Pant stepped down from the role following two disappointing seasons. Under him, LSG finished seventh and 10th in the last two IPL seasons. Pant was bought by LSG for a record ₹27 crore in the 2025 mega auction. But was the decision to leave captaincy entirely his?
Official announcement
Contradicting reports on Pant's captaincy resignation
On May 29, LSG announced that Pant had voluntarily stepped down from his captaincy role. "Rishabh approached the franchise with this request, and we have respectfully accepted it. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain," said Tom Moody, LSG Director of Cricket. However, a new report suggests that Pant was actually removed by the team management and didn't resign voluntarily.
Management view
Pant responsible for team's poor performance?
According to CricBlogger, the LSG management held Pant "largely responsible" for the team's poor performance in IPL 2026. The source questioned the haste with which he was removed as captain right after the IPL season. It also suggested that Pant was eager to move elsewhere rather than stay with a franchise where he felt undervalued.
Return speculation
Pant likely to rejoin DC after trade talks
After being removed from captaincy at LSG, Pant was quick to look for a new franchise. As reported earlier, Pant might rejoin his former team, Delhi Capitals (DC), in a trade deal that could involve Kuldeep Yadav. The move comes as LSG was impressed with Kuldeep's performance in IPL 2026 and agreed to the swap. DC co-owner JSW played a key role in pushing this deal through.
Performance review
Pant's performance overview
During his two-season stint with LSG, Pant scored 581 runs in 28 matches at a strike rate of 135.7. His underwhelming performances with the bat and LSG's disappointing results had been under constant scrutiny. Pant played 111 matches for DC between 2016 and 2024, missing the entire 2023 season due to injury. He captained the franchise in 43 matches over three seasons before being released ahead of the mega auction in 2025 after disagreements with the management.