Rishabh Pant Didn’t Want to Join This IPL Franchise – Here’s Why

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Rishabh Pant, the Indian cricket team’s wicket-keeper, has been appointed as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the IPL 2025 season. Pant was bought by LSG for a record-breaking ₹27 crore during the IPL auction. This made him the most expensive player in the history of IPL auctions.

Rishabh Pant, who led the Delhi Capitals (DC) in 2021, 2022, and 2024, decided to part ways with his former franchise ahead of the new season. A fierce bidding war took place between LSG and DC, with Delhi using their Right to Match (RTM) card. However, LSG sealed the deal with their massive bid.

This will be Pant’s second stint as an IPL captain after leading DC. He becomes LSG’s fourth captain after KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran, and Krunal Pandya.

Rishabh Pant’s “Tension” During the Auction

During a live show where Sanjiv Goenka, the LSG owner, announced Pant as the new captain, Pant shared an interesting moment from the auction. When asked about his thoughts during the bidding, Pant revealed, “I had only one tension, that was Punjab Kings (laughs).”

Pant’s comment hinted that he did not want to join Punjab Kings, a franchise known for its inconsistency and frequent captain changes. Notably, Punjab Kings have never won an IPL title in all seasons so far. Their struggles on the field and lack of stability might have been reasons for Pant’s reluctance.

Interestingly, Punjab Kings recently announced Shreyas Iyer as their captain for the IPL 2025 season during a famous reality show on Bigg Boss.

Pant now has a big responsibility to lead LSG, who missed the playoffs in IPL 2024 after finishing seventh on the points table.

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