India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has returned to Delhi Capitals in a high-profile trade with Lucknow Super Giants, taking a pay cut of ₹12 crore after two underwhelming seasons as LSG captain.
Pant, who was signed by Lucknow for a record ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, will rejoin Delhi Capitals for ₹15 crore. The 28-year-old's ₹27 crore deal remains the highest player acquisition in IPL history.
At the time of the signing, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had described Pant's move as a long-term investment. However, following two disappointing campaigns, the franchise opted to part ways with the wicketkeeper-batter, a decision understood to have been backed by the team's coaching staff, including Justin Langer and Tom Moody.
As part of the trade, left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav has moved from Delhi Capitals to Lucknow Super Giants on his existing contract worth ₹13.5 crore.
Pant will now reconnect with the franchise for whom he had played 111 matches between 2016 and 2024, before leaving to take part in the auction. He was also their skipper between 2021 and 2024, guiding them in 43 matches.
However, his stint with the LSG was well below par both in the leadership role as well as a wicketkeeper batter. The Super Giants ended up at seventh on the IPL 2025 table with six wins and eight defeats, while IPL 2026 panned out to be even worse.
The Pant-led outfit finished at the bottom of the 10-team league with a mere eight points from four wins and 10 losses. As a batter, the left-hander made just 269 runs from 14 matches in 2025, while this season he amassed 312 runs with just one fifty.
Kuldeep, who took 72 wickets in 65 matches for DC since joining them for IPL 2022 from KKR, also experienced a modest run in IPL 2026. The spinner could only take 10 wickets from 14 matches, while conceding runs at 10.30 an over.
(with inputs from PTI)
