Rishabh Pant has stepped down as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), and his request to be relieved of the top job has been accepted by the franchise. The IPL's highest-paid player leaves the job after two years in the role, during which the franchise has failed to reach the playoffs. After finishing seventh in the 2025 season, they suffered the embarrassment of a wooden spoon finish in the ongoing 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign
"Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) wish to formally announce that Rishabh Pant has requested to be relieved of his captaincy duties with the franchise, and the franchise has accepted his request with immediate effect," said an official statement by the franchise.
Meanwhile, LSG's director of cricket Tom Moody expressed gratitude towards Pant for his contribution and claimed the organisation is looking at a rebuild.
“Rishabh approached the franchise with this 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," said Moody in a statement issued by LSG.
While LSG's performances under Pant have dwindled, it is his own performances with the bat that have emerged as a cause of concern. The 28-year-old made just 581 runs over the two seasons (2025, 2026) with an average of
26.40 in 28 matches. His strike rate of 135.75 is also not impressive. He made just one century and two half-centuries in this period.
Pant was signed by LSG for a record ₹27 crore sum in the 2025 mega auction after he decided to not stay at Delhi Capitals (DC). It now remains to be seen if LSG retain Pant for the next season at this huge salary or whether he will have to enter the auction or be traded to another franchise.
This marks the end of Pant's captaincy tenure in the IPL, which lasted six years. He previously led DC from 2021 to 2024 (apart from the 2023 season when he was injured).
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Aayush Kataria is a Senior Copy Editor at Times Network with four years of experience, having started his career in the organisation. He is a key memb...View More
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