A few days before the IPL 2026 final, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) announced that they had accepted Rishabh Pant’s request to step down as captain after a disappointing season. The franchise finished at the bottom of the 10-team tournament.
“Rishabh approached the franchisee with his request and we have respectfully accepted it. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain. Our focus now is on the collective – rebuilding and restructuring to reach the best standards,” LSG said in a brief statement on their website.
Rishabh Pant moving back to DC
Earlier this week, reports suggested that Pant could be heading back to Delhi Capitals in a trade deal that may see spinner Kuldeep Yadav move to LSG.
Reports also claimed that Pant is ready to accept a salary cut to return to Delhi Capitals, the franchise he represented for eight seasons before joining LSG.
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Pant forced to leave captaincy?
However, a new report has offered a different version of events. It claimed that Pant did not step down on his own and was actually removed as captain by the LSG management. Following that decision, the wicketkeeper-batter reportedly decided to leave the franchise as he felt he was no longer valued.
“Questions are being raised over the haste with which Pant was removed as captain immediately after the IPL season. At the same time, Pant too appeared keen to secure a move elsewhere rather than continue with a franchise where he no longer felt valued,” Cricblogger quoted a source as claiming.
How LSG performed under Pant's captaincy
LSG had spent a record Rs 27 crore to sign Pant at the IPL mega auction, making him the most expensive player in IPL auction history.
But the partnership now seems close to ending after only two seasons. During Pant’s time with the franchise, LSG failed to reach the playoffs for a third straight year.
Pant also faced criticism for both his own performances and the team’s results. In 28 matches for LSG, he scored 581 runs at a strike rate of 135.7. LSG finished 10th in the points table with just four wins in their 14 outings of the IPL 2026.