IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant officially announced as new captain of LSG
Published - 20 Jan 2025, 02:34 PM | Updated - 20 Jan 2025, 02:36 PM
Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), on Monday (January 20), announced Rishabh Pant as their new captain ahead of the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The wicketkeeper-batsman has replaced his India teammate KL Rahul as the new captain of the franchise.
That Rishabh Pant would replace Rahul as the new LSG captain was very much clear when the franchise went all out for him in the IPL 2025 mega auction. The wicketkeeper-batsman became the most expensive player in the history of IPL after LSG signed him for a whopping amount of INR 27 crore (US$ 3.21 million approx.).
Before moving to LSG, Rishabh Pant played for only one franchise - Delhi Capitals. He joined the team in 2016 and was representing them since then. Later in 2021, he was also named the captain of the franchise. He led the franchise in all the seasons since then except 2023 when he was sidelined owing to the injuries he had sustained in a life-threatening car crash in 2022.
पंत लखनऊ सुपर जायंट्स के कप्तान होंगे : संजीव गोयनका
— Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी (@abhishereporter) January 20, 2025
Earlier, Rishabh Pant was spotted at the Kolkata airport ahead of the event in Kolkata. A video of the wicketkeeper-batsman arriving at the airport went viral on social media as it all but confirmed that he would be named as the new LSG captain.
Rishabh Pant arrived at Kolkata airport for Press conference with LSG owner to announce captain. pic.twitter.com/xXSfUe6K6j
— Noah (@PantasticNoah) January 20, 2025
Rishabh Pant's IPL career:
Rishabh Pant has been plying his trade in the IPL since 2016. Over the years, he has established himself as one of the best batsmen in the league. So far, Pant has played 111 games and scored 3284 runs at an average of 35 and a strike rate of almost 150. The southpaw has also hit 18 fifties and a century in the tournament.
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His best season with the bat came in 2018. In that season, Rishabh Pant had scored 684 runs with the help of five fifties and a century. He has not been able to reach the 600-run mark since then. In IPL 2024, he scored 446 runs in 13 games and was Delhi Capitals' highest run-scorer.
Rishabh Pant eyes fresh start:
After leaving Delhi Capitals, Rishabh Pant is all set to start a new journey with LSG. The player as well as the franchise are seeking a fresh start. LSG were led by Rahul in their first three seasons and failed to win the title.
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In the first two seasons, they made it to the playoffs but could not progress to the final. In the last season, LSG had a disappointing campaign as they finished seventh. LSG will be hoping that their fortunes change with the change in captaincy. Pant will also be hoping that he finally lays his hands on the coveted IPL trophy this year.
