Rishabh Pant to represent Delhi Capitals in IPL 2027; set to leave Lucknow Super Giants

New Delhi: Rishabh Pant, who served as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants, is set to return to Delhi Capitals. According to media reports, Pant is poised for a comeback to Delhi Capitals; the franchise has already initiated the trade process with Lucknow Super Giants. Under this deal, Pant may have to accept a significant pay cut. However, it is unlikely that he will captain the Delhi side.

Why Did Rishabh Pant Step Down as Lucknow Captain?

Pant had recently resigned from the captaincy—a move accepted by the team—following a poor performance in the IPL that saw Lucknow Super Giants finish in 10th place. While there was speculation that he might continue with the Lucknow squad as a player, that is no longer the case; he has turned his attention back to his former team, Delhi Capitals. The trade process is underway, and it is all but certain that Pant will move from Lucknow Super Giants to Delhi Capitals for the 2027 IPL season. Although he was earning ₹27 crore at Lucknow Super Giants, sources indicate he may face a substantial pay cut to join Delhi Capitals, potentially incurring a financial loss.

It is worth noting that Lucknow Super Giants had acquired Rishabh Pant for ₹27 crore during the IPL mega-auction and handed him the captaincy. Team owner Sanjiv Goenka had even spoken of entrusting him with the responsibility of leading the team for the next 10 to 15 years. However, despite becoming the highest-priced player in the IPL, Pant’s performance in the 2025 season was dismal, which also impacted his captaincy. Furthermore, while Lucknow's cricket fans might have hoped that he would bounce back after a rough season, that did not happen. Pant performed poorly in IPL 2026 as well, and his team finished 10th in the points table; subsequently, he stepped down from the captaincy.

Why is Rishabh Pant returning to Delhi Capitals?

Before his stint with Lucknow, Pant was part of the Delhi Capitals, and he is now returning to his former franchise. Reports suggest that Yuvraj Singh will serve as the Delhi Capitals' batting coach, while Sourav Ganguly will continue as the Director of Cricket. It remains to be seen how Rishabh Pant will perform upon rejoining the team alongside them. According to reports, the likelihood of him being handed the Delhi Capitals' captaincy is low.