Rishabh Pant’s stint with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) has officially come to an end. On June 23, IPL confirmed that the star wicketkeeper-batter had rejoined Delhi Capitals (DC) through a trade deal. As part of the agreement, spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved in the opposite direction and joined Lucknow.
Pant’s departure marks the end of a brief but eventful chapter with LSG. The franchise had secured his services for a record-breaking ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him the most expensive player in the league’s history. He was subsequently appointed captain, but Lucknow failed to qualify for the playoffs in both seasons under his leadership.
Captaincy Exit Followed by Franchise Departure
Following LSG’s elimination from IPL 2026, the franchise announced that Rishabh Pant had requested to step down as captain, a decision that was accepted immediately. However, media reports later suggested that the move may not have been entirely voluntary.
Regardless of the circumstances, Pant’s association with Lucknow soon came to an end as he completed his return to Delhi Capitals.
Pant’s Three-Word Farewell Goes Viral
Unlike many players who share lengthy farewell messages when leaving a franchise, Pant kept his goodbye short and simple. Taking to Instagram, the wicketkeeper-batter posted a brief message for his former team: “Thank you team.”
Rishabh Pant’s Instagram story for LSG.👀 pic.twitter.com/Z9NXUmhO16
— Cricket Central (@CricketCentrl) June 23, 2026
Despite its simplicity, the three-word farewell quickly gained attention across social media, with fans reacting to the understated nature of the post.
Rishabh Pant’s IPL Numbers
Rishabh Pant remains one of the most accomplished players in the tournament. Across 139 IPL matches, he has scored 3,865 runs in 136 innings at an average of 33.60 and a strike rate of 146.79. His record includes two centuries and 20 half-centuries, highlighting his impact as one of the league’s premier wicketkeeper-batters.
With his return to Delhi Capitals now complete, fans will be eager to see how the next chapter of Pant’s IPL journey unfolds.
