LSG set to unveil star player as their captain ahead of IPL 2025: Reports

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) are set to unveil Rishabh Pant as their captain ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 edition. The left-handed batter is set to replace KL Rahul, who captained the franchise in the first three seasons.

Rahul wasn't retained by the Super Giants over his alleged rift with owner Sanjiv Goenka. Nevertheless, the franchise invested heavily on Pant, who became the most expensive player in IPL auction history as he fetched ₹27 crore from LSG.

For the 27-year-old, it will be the second franchise that he captains in IPL after the Delhi Capitals whom he led in two complete seasons. In 43 matches as IPL captain, the youngster has won 24 and lost the remaining 19. He had a productive season with the bat in 2024, accumulating 446 runs in 13 games at 40.55 alongside a strike-rate of 155.40.

"We knew we were going to get him" - LSG owner explains how they got Rishabh Pant

Sanjiv Goenka. (Image Credits: Getty)

Speaking recently on Ranveer Allahbadia's podcast, Sanjiv Goenka revealed that they were prepared to go all in for Pant when the Capitals did not use the Right to Match (RTM) at 21-22 crore. He also stated that the keeper-batter's presence in the franchise was necessary to construct a base around which the team was built.

"We knew we were going to get him, and we had kept between 25 and 27 crores for him in all our planning. So, when the bidding stopped for Rishabh at 21-22 Cr, DC did not waste even a second to use RTM for him. So that means they were willing to go to the full extent that we have to take Rishabh."

"However, whatever the circumstances were, they did not retain him, or Rishabh was not willing to be retained. It is not right for me to discuss that or comment on it, but they were keen. If you look at Parth’s reaction, it is more like the deal is done. Looking at all this, we thought 27 Cr was a safe bid. Had Rishabh not come to us, LSG would have missed an Indian anchor around whom the entire team is built.”

IPL 2025 is set to commence on March 21.