Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) officially announced that wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has requested to step down as captain following the team’s disappointing performance in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season.
The franchise confirmed the development through a statement on the social media platform X, revealing that Pant asked to be relieved of his captaincy duties and that the request had been accepted with immediate effect.
Official announcement. pic.twitter.com/7WeOwpkDr6
— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) May 29, 2026
LSG Director of Cricket Tom Moody stated that Pant personally approached the management regarding his decision to resign as captain.
Moody acknowledged that such decisions are never straightforward and praised Pant for his contribution to the dressing room as skipper. He added that the franchise would now focus on rebuilding and restructuring the squad to return to competitive standards in future seasons.
Ahead of IPL 2026, Lucknow Super Giants secured Pant’s services for Rs 27 crore, making him the most expensive player ever purchased in the history of the IPL auction.
The franchise had placed enormous faith in the star wicketkeeper-batter after retaining him for the new season.
Team Performance Over Two Seasons
During the previous campaign, LSG managed to register only six victories in 14 league matches and finished seventh in the points table with 12 points.
Pant scored 269 runs in IPL 2025 at an average of 24.45, including an unbeaten century of 118 runs.
The franchise endured an even more disappointing campaign in IPL 2026. Lucknow lost 10 out of their 14 matches and ended the season at the bottom of the standings.
Despite the team’s struggles, Pant contributed 312 runs during the season at an average of 28.36. Behind the stumps, he also impressed with 10 catches as wicketkeeper.
Pant’s departure as captain marks a significant transition for Lucknow Super Giants as the franchise begins preparations to rebuild ahead of the next IPL season.
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