According to ESPNcricinfo, star India batsman-wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is expected to be named captain of the Sanjika Goenka-owned Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) team prior to the 2025 Indian Premier League season.
KL, a right-hand batter Despite leading the team to the playoffs in their first two iterations of the lucrative competition, Rahul was let go by the Lucknow squad prior to the IPL 2025 big auction. The LSG team had to choose between Pant and Shreyas Iyer for the position after Rahul was let go, therefore the team and management decided to go with Pant.
At the IPL 2025 super auction in Jeddah, Pant was purchased by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for an astounding Rs 27 crores, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. The Delhi Capitals (DC) would be the first team in this event, followed by the LSG franchise.
A few minutes before, he defeated fellow countryman Shreyas Iyer, who had recently gone to Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 26.75 crores, making him the most expensive player in league history. He had defeated Mitchell Starc of Australia, who had made his IPL comeback after a long absence with an offer of Rs 24.75 crores.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and LSG engaged in a bidding war at first, with the latter giving up. In an attempt to strengthen their potent batting attack, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) entered the bidding war. DC attempted to use the “Right To Match” card, but they were unable to match the price LSG paid for Pant, exceeding Iyer’s value and breaking the bank.
Since 2016, Pant has played for the Delhi Capitals in the IPL, amassing 3,284 runs at an average of 35.31 in 110 games, including 18 fifties and a century. In 2021, he was named the team’s captain and guided them to the postseason.
LSG kept uncapped players Mohsin Khan and Ayush Badoni along with Nicholas Pooran, Mayank Yadav, and Ravi Bishnoi ahead of the IPL 2025 major auction.
After winning seven of 14 games, the Lucknow-based team concluded their IPL 2024 journey in seventh place with 14 points.
Lucknow Super Giants:
Batters: Aiden Markram, David Miller, Ayush Badoni (retained), Himmat Singh, Matthew Breetzke.
Wicketkeepers: Rishabh Pant, Nicholas Pooran (retained), Aryan Juyal.
All-rounders: Abdul Samad (spin), Mitchell Marsh (pace), Shahbaz Ahmed (spin), Yuvraj Chaudhary (spin), Rajvardhan Hangargekar (pace), Arshin Kulkarni (Pace).
Spinners: Ravi Bishnoi (retained), M Siddharth, Digvesh Singh.
Fast bowlers: Mayank Yadav (retained), Mohsin Khan (retained), Akash Deep, Avesh Khan, Akash Singh, Shamar Joseph, Prince Yadav.