Rishabh Pant to Lead Lucknow Super Giants in IPL 2025 After Record-Breaking Auction Purchase

Rishabh Pant will lead Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025 after the massive move made for him during the November 2024 auction when he was sold for INR 27 crore, around US$ 3.21 million, thus making him the costliest.

KL Rahul had been LSG's captain since its arrival into the league in 2022. He had led the team to playoffs in the first two seasons but not so well during the season in 2024, where the team finished seventh on the standing list.

This move to LSG marks the second stint as captain in the IPL for Pant. Pant left Delhi Capitals (DC) after there was no success over his leadership position. DC wanted to retain Pant but did not commit to fully ensuring that he remains the captain.

Before the auction, LSG had retained five players: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni, and Mohsin Khan. They were looking for an Indian captain to replace Rahul. Pant and Shreyas Iyer were the top choices, and after a fierce bidding battle with SRH, LSG secured Pant for INR 20.75 crore, eventually raising it to INR 27 crore to secure him from DC’s challenge.

Pant had been with DC since 2016 and had captained the team since 2021 until 2023, when an injury ruled him out for the season after a car accident.

LSG will have a solid team under Pant's leadership, with overseas players like David Miller, Mitchell Marsh, and Aiden Markram, along with Indian fast bowlers Akash Deep and Avesh Khan. Other potential leaders considered after the auction were Pooran, Marsh, Markram, and Miller.

Pant will work with LSG's head coach Justin Langer, and mentor Zaheer Khan to further polish the skills required to elevate performance in the team during the coming season.