Rishabh Pant’s IPL Price Changed After LSG-DC Move

Rishabh Pant’s IPL Price Changed [Source: AFP]

In a bombshell development, a major IPL trade is reportedly in the works involving wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant and spinner Kuldeep Yadav, with Pant set to return to Delhi Capitals from LSG. 

After a fallout in the IPL 2026 season where LSG finished at the bottom of the table, Pant stepped down as captain. But reports stated that he won’t continue with the Lucknow franchise any longer and will seek a way out ahead of the IPL 2027 season.

Rishabh Pant will no longer be the richest IPL player

According to several reports, LSG and DC have allegedly agreed upon an unexpected trade where Rishabh Pant will rejoin Delhi while Kuldeep Yadav will be traded off to Lucknow in exchange. The deal is apparently awaiting approval from the BCCI.

However, the biggest hurdle in the trade, as per Cricbuzz, was Pant's massive IPL salary. After the 2025 auction, Pant became one of the highest-paid IPL players at a ₹27 crore salary with LSG.

However, that amount made it difficult for another franchise to absorb his contract. To make the move possible, Rishabh Pant reportedly agreed to reduce his salary to around ₹15 crore.

This allows Delhi Capitals to complete the trade without creating major purse complications. At the same time, Kuldeep's contract remains unchanged as he will most likely continue to earn ₹13.25 crores from LSG starting from the IPL 2027 season.

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Pant unlikely to get captaincy at DC

Interestingly, while Delhi Capitals have reportedly agreed to trade Rishabh Pant from LSG, the wicketkeeper batter is unlikely to get the captaincy nod for the IPL 2027 season.

According to reports, DC management is considering KL Rahul as the replacement for Axar Patel, who led the team in IPL 2026. Rahul has been one of Delhi's most consistent performers over the last two IPL seasons, which makes him ideal for the role.

As for Rishabh Pant, he will likely serve as a specialist batter. His captaincy journey has not been up to the mark with LSG, and hence, DC’s think tank believes Rahu will be more suitable as captain.

Rishabh Pant’s journey with DC

That being said, if the trade materialises, it will be a homecoming moment for Rishabh Pant. He began his IPL journey with Delhi Capitals in 2016 and grabbed the spotlight in 2018 by scoring a century (128) vs SRH.

In 2021, the wicketkeeper-batter made his debut as captain after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to an injury. Since then, DC never looked back and continued to back him as captain.

Even in 2023, DC paid Pant’s salary despite him not playing the IPL season due to injuries sustained after a near-fatal car crash. However, in 2025, due to differences with the management, Pant entered the mega auction pool and fetched a ₹27 crore contract from LSG.

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