Rishabh Pant steps down as LSG captain after a disappointing IPL season

IPL franchise Lucknow Super Giants on Friday announced that Rishabh Pant has stepped down as captain of the team following a disappointing season in which they finished at the bottom of the table.

“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,” the team said in an official statement.

Wicketkeeper-batter Pant was picked by Lucknow for a record Rs 27 crore at the player auction ahead of the 2025 season and was appointed captain in January.

Despite the immense responsibility, Pant struggled with inconsistent form as he oversaw a dismal campaign in which Lucknow won only four of their 14 matches, missing out on the IPL playoffs for the third consecutive season. It also turned out to be a woeful season personally for Pant, who managed just 312 runs in 14 innings.

These disappointing results ultimately forced the player to make a decision, with the franchise confirming that Pant himself approached the management with the request. “Rishabh approached the franchise with this request and we have respectfully accepted it,” said LSG Director of Cricket Tom Moody.

“These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain. Our focus now is on collective rebuilding and restructuring to reach the highest standards,” the former Australian all-rounder added.