Left or snatched the captaincy? Just two IPL seasons and how Rs 27 crores Pant reached the floor!

Rishabh Pant’s two-year journey as captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has ended suddenly. After another very disappointing IPL season, this wicketkeeper-batsman has decided to step down from the captaincy. In the IPL 2025 auction, Lucknow had set a record by buying Pant for a record-breaking Rs 27 crore.

On Friday, LSG confirmed that Pant himself had requested to step down from the responsibility of captaincy, which was immediately accepted by the franchise. This decision came when Lucknow Super Giants remained at the bottom i.e. last position in the points table of IPL 2026. Under Pant’s captaincy, the team was out of the playoff race for the second consecutive season.

Rishabh Pant’s disappointing performance

When Lucknow spent money on Pant like water in the mega auction, the expectations from him were skyrocketing. The franchise made him the most expensive player in IPL history and immediately handed him the command of the team. He hoped that Pant would take the team to new heights of success. But neither the team’s results lived up to the expectations nor Pant’s own performance could justify that huge price.

IPL 2025 status

In the first year, Lucknow team remained seventh in the points table and could not qualify for the playoffs. Pant’s bat remained completely silent. He scored only 269 runs in the entire season at an average of 24.45 and strike rate of 133.17. His unbeaten 118 runs in the last league match against Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) saved his honour, otherwise his figures would have looked even more shameful. This was his only big innings in the entire season.

Luck did not change even in IPL 2026

Lucknow’s luck did not change even in IPL 2026. The entire team looked scattered and out of 14 matches, they could win only four matches, due to which the team remained at the bottom of the table. Pant’s poor form and falling confidence can be gauged from the fact that he kept experimenting with his batting order throughout the season. Sometimes he came to open, sometimes played at number 3 and sometimes at number 4, but could not find the rhythm anywhere.

Pant’s performance in IPL 2026

• Match: 14
• Runs: 312
• Average: 33.61
• Strike Rate: 146.79

Although these figures were slightly better than last year, but considering the stature of a player worth Rs 27 crore, this performance was very ordinary. Only one half-century came from his bat in the entire season.

Team India’s credibility also wavered

The effect of poor form in IPL is also visible on Pant’s international career. His place in the Indian white-ball (ODI and T20) team is no longer as sure as before. KL Rahul has completely confirmed his place in the ODI team.

In T20, Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have gone far ahead of Pant in the race. Especially Sanju Samson has made his claim the strongest by scoring 321 runs in the T20 World Cup and winning the title of ‘Player of the Tournament’. At the same time, Ishan Kishan has also returned to the ODI team, due to which the path has become more difficult for Pant. Not only this, the selectors have also removed Pant from the post of vice-captain of the Indian Test team and this responsibility has now been handed over to KL Rahul. This decision made it clear that Pant no longer has the status he used to have in the Indian Cricket Board.

What will Lucknow Super Giants do next?

After Rishabh Pant left the captaincy, now the Lucknow team is once again preparing to make a fresh start. If reports are to be believed, the names of Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh are leading in the race to take charge of the team for the next IPL season.

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