Pant was bought by LSG for INR 27 Crores after bids from CSK and PBKS in IPL 2025 auction.
Rishabh Pant was announced as the new captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, January 20, 2025. The announcement was made by LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka ahead of the IPL 2025 season.
Rumors circulated that Pant could be selected by either Chennai Super Kings (CSK) or Punjab Kings (PBKS). For CSK, the suspicion revolved around his tight relationship with the legendary MS Dhoni, with Chennai reportedly considering Pant as his succession.
On the other hand, with former Delhi Capitals head coach Rick Ponting joining the PBKS camp, there was speculation that the wicketkeeper-batter may join the franchise to reunite with the Australian. PBKS also had a huge purse to spend with more than 110 crores.
Speaking about his thought during the IPL 2025 mega auction, Rishabh Pant stated that his sole concern was that Punjab would buy him because they had the largest purse. However, he revealed that the stress eased once Shreyas Iyer was signed by the franchise for INR 26.75 crore.
“I only had one tension, that was Punjab (laughs). They had the highest purse. When Shreyas went to Punjab, I felt I could make it to LSG. There was a possibility. But eventually, with auction you never know, so I just thought I would wait and watch, and had my fingers crossed,” Pant told Jatin Sapru on Star Sports.
LSG acquired the India star for record price of INR 27 crore. Goenka revealed that Pant was always part of their plan and that they had designed the team around it.
"The amount of strategizing that was done revolved around Rishabh, it was done keeping him in mind," Goenka mentioned while confirming Pant as the captain. "I think, time will prove that he is not only the most expensive player of IPL but also the best player of IPL," Goenka added after being asked ‘why Pant?’