Rishabh Pant Was Forced Out Mid IPL 2026; Explosive Report Exposes LSG

Rishabh Pant and Sanjiv Goenka (Source: AFP)India's star player Rishabh Pant has been in the news for quite some time now, as his cricketing journey has been going through a difficult phase.The wicketkeeper-batter has struggled to maintain a place in India's ODI and T20I teams and also endured a disappointing IPL 2026 season with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).He managed only 312 runs in 14 matches during the season and was unable to lead LSG to success. The franchise finished at the bottom of the IPL 2026 points table and became the first team to be eliminated from the recently concluded season. Almost a month ago, Rishabh Pant decided to step down from the LSG's captaincy and recent reports have emerged that Pant will likely move to Delhi Capitals in a blockbuster trade deal involving spinner Kuldeep Yadav.However, new reports have emerged that have added a twist to the story and to Pant's stepping down from the LSG’s captaincy.Rishabh Pant Steps Down From CaptaincyOn May 29, Lucknow Super Giants officially announced that Pant had decided to step down as captain and that the franchise had accepted his request.In a statement released by the franchise, LSG Director of Cricket Tom Moody said that Pant had approached the management with the decision and that the team respected his choice.He said: "Rishabh approached the franchise with this request and we have respectfully accepted it. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain. Our focus now is on the collective — rebuilding and restructuring to reach the best standards."Also Read: KKR Pursued Rishabh Pant, But LSG Asked For More In ReturnThe franchise thanked Pant for his contributions as captain and stated that the focus would now be on rebuilding and restructuring the squad after a difficult campaign.The statement read: "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."New Update On Rishabh Pant's Captaincy RemovalAccording to a report by CricBlogger, the situation behind Pant's exit may have been very different from the official version shared by the franchise.The report claims that Pant was actually removed as captain by the LSG management shortly after the IPL 2026 season ended. Sources quoted in the report suggested that the franchise believed Pant was largely responsible for the team's poor performance during the campaign."While LSG continues to maintain that Pant stepped down voluntarily, sources suggest the reality was quite different. Far from being a personal decision, the move was reportedly initiated by the franchise management, effectively bringing Pant’s tenure as captain to an end." as stated in the report by CricBlogger.“Questions are being raised over the haste with which Pant was removed as captain immediately after the IPL season. At the same time, Pant too appeared keen to secure a move elsewhere rather than continue with a franchise where he no longer felt valued,” the source said.The report further claimed that questions have been raised about how quickly the LSG's captaincy change took place after the season concluded.Why LSG and Delhi Capitals Could Benefit From Rishabh Pant's Trade?The potential Rishabh Pant swap appears to be a good fit for both franchises. Delhi Capitals would regain a proven leader and experienced wicketkeeper-batter who understands the team's culture.Meanwhile, LSG would strengthen their bowling attack by acquiring Kuldeep Yadav.Reports also suggest that Delhi Capitals’ ownership group, particularly JSW Sports, played a major role in pushing for Pant’s return.For now, neither franchise has officially confirmed the Rishabh Pant-Kuldeep Yadav trade. However, after a difficult two-year stint in Lucknow, there are indications that Pant could soon return to the franchise where his IPL journey began.Also Read: Emotional Sri Lanka Captain Calls Herself 'Failure' After T20 World Cup Loss Vs West Indies