Rishabh Pant is expected to be announced as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for IPL 2025. Pant was acquired at the November 2024 mega auction for a record-breaking INR 27 crore (approximately US$ 3.21 million), making him the most expensive player in IPL history.
The franchise needed a new captain after choosing not to retain KL Rahul, who led LSG for their first three seasons since 2022. Under Rahul's leadership, the team reached the playoffs in 2022 and 2023 but failed to secure a spot in the final. However, a poor performance in 2024 saw them finish seventh on the table, prompting the decision to move on from Rahul.
For Pant, this would mark his second captaincy stint in the IPL. Previously, he led Delhi Capitals (DC) from 2021, except for the 2023 season, which he missed due to injuries sustained in a serious car accident. Pant chose to re-enter the auction after unsuccessful retention discussions with DC, who were reluctant to guarantee him the captaincy.
Ahead of the auction, LSG retained Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni, and Mohsin Khan. The franchise aimed to secure an Indian captain and prioritized Pant and Shreyas Iyer.
After an intense bidding war with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), LSG secured Pant for INR 20.75 crore before countering Delhi’s right-to-match challenge by raising their bid to INR 27 crore.
If confirmed as captain, Pant will lead a strong squad featuring overseas players like David Miller, Mitchell Marsh, and Aiden Markram, along with Indian bowlers Akash Deep and Avesh Khan.
While Nicholas Pooran, Marsh, Markram, and Miller were considered alternative captaincy options, the franchise appears to favor Pant.
Pant will also collaborate with head coach Justin Langer and team mentor Zaheer Khan, with whom he has shared interactions during previous cricket tours. Official confirmation of his captaincy is awaited.
Updated on 20th January, 2025 by MyFortune11 Team.