"He Can Win At Least 5-6 IPL Titles": Sanjiv Goenka Backs Rishabh Pant to Lead LSG to Glory

The Indian Premier League 2025 is going to kick off on March 21. The Lucknow Super Giants have officially named Rishabh Pant as their team captain. Sanjiv Goenka, the owner of Lucknow Super Giants has set high hopes on Rishabh Pant to aim for a fresh beginning.

“We had kept a budget of Rs 27 crore for Rishabh Pant. We were adamant about getting him (during the IPL auction)," Sanjiv Goenka revealed in the show.

In the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, which was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25 the Lucknow Super Giants franchise made its intentions clear when they went all out with a record-breaking bid of ₹27 crore to bring the Indian team wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant on board. Rishabh Pant is known for his aggressive batting. Goenka announced that they were fully committed to signing the star player.

“Rishabh Pant isn’t just going to be the best player of LSG but of IPL itself. Never seen someone with so much passion. He’s the boy next door; his connection with the players, teams, and thought process is different. Conventional thought processes lack uniqueness, I see him as a leader. He will probably be the best captain IPL has seen," Goenka said.

Rishabh Pant IPL Auction History

Year	Team	Price (₹ Cr)
2018	Delhi	15.00
2019	Delhi	15.00
2020	Delhi	15.00
2021	Delhi	15.00
2022	Delhi	16.00
2023	Delhi	16.00
2024	Delhi	16.00
2025	Lucknow	27.00

Goenka believes Pant has the potential to become the greatest player in IPL history. He praised Rishabh Pant's calm yet passionate leadership style, which he thinks will inspire the team.

“I see him as a leader. He will probably be the best captain IPL has seen, Rishabh Pant knows a few players, doesn’t know others. We have to create a platform where there’s mutual trust. End of the day, you want to win. You won’t win every game losing and winning are part and parcel. You learn to take defeat with victory," the LSG owner said.

The LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka emphasized the importance of building a foundation of trust within the team and learning from both their victories and setbacks.

Sanjiv also said  “He will play 10-15 years. During that time, he can win at least 5-6 IPL titles. People will say, ‘Mahi, Rohit, Rishabh’," 

Goenka didn’t hold back on his expectations for Pant. He wants him to not only shine as a player but also lead the team to greatness. He hinted at the possibility of Pant winning at least five IPL titles in the next 10 to 20 years, putting him in the same league as legendary captains like Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni.

Rishabh Pant's IPL Career Stats

Matches	Runs	Fifties	Hundreds	Highest Score
111	3,284	18	1	128*

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