January 20, 2025: Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant was announced as the new captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season. The announcement was made during the show ‘LSG Special Live’ on Star Sports, which featured LSG franchise owner Dr Sanjiv Goenka.
Pant’s acquisition by LSG was one of the highlights of the IPL mega auction in November, where he became the most expensive player in IPL history. He was bought for a massive Rs 27 crores, surpassing the previous record set by Shreyas Iyer, who was acquired by Punjab Kings (PBKS) for Rs 26.75 crores. The bidding war for Pant involved multiple teams, including Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), and Delhi Capitals (DC), but LSG ultimately secured him, breaking the bank.
Pant, known for his dynamic batting and wicketkeeping skills, has been a key player for India across all formats. Despite his T20I career featuring 1,209 runs from 76 matches at an average of 23.25, his overall T20 numbers are impressive, with 5,022 runs in 202 matches at an average of 31.78 and a strike rate of over 145, which includes two centuries and 25 fifties.
Pant has been a consistent performer for Delhi Capitals (DC) since his IPL debut in 2016, scoring 3,284 runs in 110 matches with an average of 35.31, including a century and 18 fifties. He was appointed DC’s captain in 2021, leading the team to the playoffs in the same season. Now, with LSG, Pant will look to build on his leadership and contributions, guiding the team in the upcoming IPL season.