Rishabh Pant has stepped down as captain of Lucknow Super Giants after the team finished last in IPL 2026.
LSG confirmed that Pant requested to be relieved from captaincy duties and the franchise accepted his decision immediately. The team had a disappointing campaign, winning only four matches and ending the season with eight points from 14 games.
Pant’s own form also struggled during the season. He scored 312 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 138.05. Across his two seasons as captain, LSG won only 10 matches and lost 18.
Pant was signed by Lucknow for a record ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 auction, making him the most expensive player in IPL history at the time. However, the franchise finished seventh in 2025 and tenth in 2026 under his leadership.
LSG Director of Cricket Tom Moody said Pant personally approached the franchise with the request and the management respected his decision. He added that the team’s focus is now on rebuilding and restructuring ahead of the next season.
The franchise has not yet announced its new captain for IPL 2027.
Rishabh Pant’s ₹27 Crore Move to Lucknow Super Giants Turned Into Major IPL Disappointment
Rishabh Pant’s move to Lucknow Super Giants was supposed to change the franchise’s future. Instead, it quickly became one of the biggest IPL disappointments in recent years.
LSG paid a record ₹27 crore for Pant before IPL 2025 and made him captain immediately. The expectations were huge because Pant was seen as one of India’s biggest match-winners and most explosive wicketkeeper-batters.
But the results never came.
In IPL 2025, LSG finished seventh and missed the playoffs. Pant struggled badly with the bat for most of the season. He scored only 269 runs and his only major knock was an unbeaten century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the final league match.
Things became even worse in IPL 2026. LSG won only four matches and finished last on the table with eight points. Pant scored 312 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate around 138-147 depending on different reports, but he still managed only one fifty-plus score all season.
The team constantly changed his batting position. He opened in some games, batted at No. 3 in others, and also moved to No. 4. That showed the lack of clarity inside the setup.
His captaincy record also looked poor. Across two seasons, LSG won only 10 matches and lost 18 under him.
Reports also claimed Pant looked mentally exhausted after the season. Soon after the campaign ended, he requested to step down as captain, and LSG accepted it immediately. Director of Cricket Tom Moody said the franchise respected Pant’s decision and would now focus on rebuilding.
At the same time, Pant’s place in India’s white-ball teams has become less secure. KL Rahul has strengthened his ODI role, while Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan have moved ahead in T20 cricket. He was also removed as India’s Test vice-captain.
Now LSG are expected to start a fresh leadership cycle. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh are among the names being discussed as possible new captains for IPL 2027.
Rishabh Pant’s IPL 2026 Season Ends in Struggle as LSG Finish Last Under His Captaincy
Rishabh Pant had a mixed but mostly poor IPL 2026 season for Lucknow Super Giants.
He scored 312 runs in 14 matches. His average was 33.61 and strike rate was 146.79. The numbers look decent on paper, but impact was limited because big innings were rare. He managed only one fifty in the whole season.
He started the season as an opener, but that experiment ended after one match. After that, he batted mostly at No. 3, and later even lower down the order when form did not improve.
His season was slightly better than IPL 2025, where he scored 269 runs. But even in 2025, his stats were boosted by one unbeaten century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, without which his overall season would have looked much worse.
His captaincy also came under pressure. LSG won only 4 matches in IPL 2026 and finished last on the table. Across two seasons as captain, the team managed just 10 wins and 18 losses.
After the final match, LSG director of cricket Tom Moody said the team was not meeting expectations and hinted at a leadership reset.
There were also signs of dressing room issues, with Pant suggesting that the support staff setup was too crowded. This added more speculation about team confusion during the season.
FAQs
Q. Why did Rishabh Pant step down as LSG captain?
A. Pant stepped down after LSG finished last in IPL 2026 with only four wins.
Q. How did LSG perform under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy?
A. They won 10 matches and lost 18 across IPL 2025 and 2026.
Q. How many runs did Rishabh Pant score in IPL 2026?
A. Rishabh Pant scored 312 runs in 14 matches.
Q. What was Rishabh Pant’s IPL 2025 and 2026 situation with LSG?
A. LSG finished 7th in 2025 and last in 2026 under his leadership.
Q. What was Rishabh Pant’s auction price when he joined LSG?
A. Rishabh Pant was bought for ₹27 crore in IPL 2025, the highest at that time.
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