Rishabh Pant returns to Delhi Capitals in trade deal
Quick Look
- Rishabh Pant has been traded back to Delhi Capitals from Lucknow Super Giants for spinner Kuldeep Yadav.
- Pant's two-year stint with LSG was disappointing, marked by struggles as captain and with his batting performance.
- He takes a pay cut to return to his former franchise.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Rishabh Pant returns to Delhi Capitals after a two-year stint with Lucknow Super Giants, where he struggled as captain and with his batting. The trade also involves spinner Kuldeep Yadav moving to LSG.
Rishabh Pant (BCCI/IPL Photo)
NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant had a simple message for Lucknow Super Giants after his return to Delhi Capitals was confirmed on Tuesday. The wicketkeeper-batter took to Instagram Stories and reshared LSG's farewell post, writing just three words: "Thank you team. "
The message came shortly after Pant's high-profile trade move back to Delhi Capitals in exchange for spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Pant's departure from LSG ends a disappointing two-year stint with the franchise. The left-hander had joined Lucknow for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore ahead of IPL 2025, making him the most expensive player in IPL history at the time. However, things did not go according to plan. As captain, Pant struggled to turn LSG into contenders, and his performances with the bat also fell short of expectations. LSG finished seventh in IPL 2025 with six wins and eight defeats. The following season was even tougher as the Pant-led side ended at the bottom of the 10-team table with only four wins from 14 matches. Pant scored 269 runs in 14 matches during IPL 2025. In IPL 2026, he managed 312 runs and registered just one half-century.
The move sees Pant take a pay cut of Rs 12 crore as he returns to Delhi Capitals for Rs 15 crore. He will reunite with the franchise where he spent eight seasons between 2016 and 2024. Pant played 111 matches for Delhi before entering the IPL 2025 mega auction and also captained the side from 2021 to 2024, leading them in 43 games. Interestingly, when LSG signed Pant, owner Sanjiv Goenka had described the deal as a long-term investment. But after two difficult seasons, the franchise decided to part ways with the star wicketkeeper-batter.
As part of the trade, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants at his existing salary of Rs 13.50 crore. Kuldeep had been a key performer for Delhi since joining the franchise in 2022. He claimed 72 wickets in 65 matches. However, he didn't have had a good IPL 2026 season, picking up only 10 wickets in 14 matches while conceding runs at an economy rate of 10.30.
Open Questions
- Will Pant's return boost Delhi Capitals' performance?
- How will Kuldeep Yadav perform for LSG?
