Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 20: Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been named the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the upcoming IPL 2025 season. The announcement was made during the LSG Special Live show on Star Sports, featuring franchise owner Dr. Sanjiv Goenka.
Pant, who made history as the most expensive player in IPL history, was bought by LSG for a record Rs 27 crores at the IPL mega auction in Jeddah in November 2024. He surpassed the previous record set by Shreyas Iyer, who was bought by Punjab Kings for Rs 26.75 crores, just moments before Pant’s bid. Iyer had previously broken the record set by Mitchell Starc, who was bought for Rs 24.75 crores.
The bidding war for Pant was fierce, with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) initially leading the charge, before Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) joined in, aiming to strengthen their batting lineup. Delhi Capitals (DC) attempted to use their ‘Right To Match’ card but were unable to match LSG’s massive bid, making Pant the franchise’s most expensive acquisition.
Pant, a dynamic player known for his explosive style, has been a stalwart in Indian cricket across all formats. Although his T20I numbers (1,209 runs in 76 matches at an average of 23.25) may not fully reflect his potential, his overall T20 performance is impressive, with 5,022 runs from 202 matches at an average of 31.78 and a strike rate of over 145, including two centuries and 25 fifties.
Having spent his entire IPL career with Delhi Capitals (DC) since 2016, Pant has scored 3,284 runs in 110 matches, with an average of 35.31. As DC’s captain, he led the team to the playoffs in 2021. Now, with LSG, Pant will look to bring his leadership skills and explosive batting to the forefront in IPL 2025.