IPL 2026 trade window: Pant-Kuldeep swap deal gaining momentum
What's the story
Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are finalizing a player trade involving Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav. The deal, pending approval from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), will see Pant's salary slashed from ₹27 crore to around ₹15 crore. Meanwhile, Kuldeep will continue with his current contract worth ₹13.25 crore. Here are further details.
Trade details
Proposed trade sees Pant return to DC
The proposed trade will see Pant return to DC, the franchise he represented for nine seasons before being released ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) auction. Kuldeep will move to LSG as part of this swap deal. However, Kuldeep's salary will remain unchanged at ₹13.25 crore, as per Cricbuzz.
Salary adjustment
Pant to take a significant pay cut
The major hurdle in the Pant trade was his whopping ₹27 crore salary. It was not practical for a franchise to accommodate such a high-paying player. However, it is reported that Pant has agreed to a pay cut, much like Ravindra Jadeja did when he joined Rajasthan Royals last season. The keeper-batter will still earn more than half of his current salary with the revised fee of around ₹15 crore.
Leadership changes
Pant's exit from LSG was expected
Pant's exit from LSG was expected as the management decided to take the franchise in a new direction. It was agreed that he would step down as captain even before IPL season ended. Under his leadership, LSG had two disappointing seasons, finishing last this year. Pant has 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 DC management over several issues.
Information
Pant's numbers in LSG colors
In 28 matches for LSG, Pant owns 581 runs at 26.40. He owns 1 hundred and 2 fifties. In IPL 2025, he smashed 269 runs at 24.45 (100s: 1, 50s: 1). In IPL 2026, he scored 312 runs at 28.36 (50s: 1).