Pant was roped in by LSG for a staggering INR 27 crore during the mega auction.
The southpaw, who became the most expensive buy in the IPL history during the mega auction last November, was roped in by LSG for a staggering INR 27 crore (approximately US$ 3.21 million).
His signing came after a competitive bidding war, with Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) challenging LSG’s bid. Pant’s historic deal marks a new chapter as he is set to lead LSG for the first time.
KL Rahul had led LSG in their first three seasons and the franchise also made it to the IPL playoffs in the initial two editions. However, a lackluster 2024 campaign, where the team finished seventh, prompted the franchise management to make significant changes. Rahul was released ahead of the mega auction, leaving the captaincy slot vacant.
Ahead of the grand auction, LSG retained five players namely Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni and Mohsin Khan.
However, they were on the lookout for an Indian player who could shoulder the leadership role. Pant emerged as their top choice, alongside Shreyas Iyer.
Rishabh Pant’s leadership journey began at Delhi Capitals (DC), where he took over as captain in 2021 and remained in charge all through except for the 2023 season, when he was out injured after sustaining injuries in a life-threatening car crash.
Ahead of the 2025 season, Pant opted to part ways with the Capitals. He has time and again clarified that money was not a factor behind his decision to leave DC.
With Pant leading, LSG will benefit from a strong squad, featuring key overseas players such as David Miller, Mitchell Marsh, and Aiden Markram, along with Indian seamers like Akash Deep and Avesh Khan.
Although players like Pooran, Marsh, and Miller were the captaincy contenders in the squad, Pant’s leadership has been finalized.
Rishabh Pant will now work closely with LSG’s head coach, Justin Langer, with whom he has interacted during the 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy Down Under, and the team’s new mentor, Zaheer Khan, as they strive for a successful IPL 2025 campaign.