Lucknow Super Giants have announced that Rishabh Pant has stepped away from the captaincy role following another difficult IPL campaign. The franchise said Pant himself had asked to be relieved of his skipper duties, and that the management has accepted the request with immediate effect.
Quick facts
- Rishabh Pant has stepped down as Lucknow Super Giants captain.
- LSG said Pant requested to be relieved of captaincy and the team accepted it right away.
- LSG bought Pant for Rs 27 crore ahead of IPL 2025.
- LSG finished seventh in IPL 2025 and again bottom in IPL 2026.
- Aakash Chopra suggested Aiden Markram, Mitchell Marsh and Josh Inglis as possible captaincy options.
In the build-up to IPL 2025, Lucknow secured Pant’s services for Rs 27 crore, a figure that made him the most expensive player in the tournament at the time. However, the franchise’s results have not matched that investment, with Lucknow ending IPL 2025 in seventh place and then slipping to last in IPL 2026.
Chances are that a leadership change will shape Lucknow’s next season plans, and former India batter Aakash Chopra has offered three names he believes could be considered. Chopra pointed to Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh as two options who have already experienced international success in captaincy roles.
Speaking on X, Chopra argued that either Markram or Marsh could be viable choices for the franchise. He then added that Josh Inglis could also enter the mix, noting that Inglis had recently been handed Australia’s captaincy for a short period.
Chopra’s bigger question, though, was whether Lucknow will continue with Pant as a player. He said the skipper role might not be a concern from a cricketing leadership standpoint, but the amount paid for Pant is hard to ignore.
“From this (captaincy) perspective, they must not be having any problem. But the bigger thing is whether they will keep Rishabh Pant, because Rs 27 crore is a very big amount,” Chopra said. He further wondered aloud if Lucknow would consider releasing Pant and then attempting to repurchase him during the auction.
LSG’s own statement confirmed the sequence of events. The franchise said it wished to formally announce that Pant had requested to be relieved of his captaincy responsibilities, and that the franchisee has accepted the request immediately.
“Rishabh approached the franchisee with this request and we have respectfully accepted it,” the franchise quoted Moody as saying in the media release. The statement also stressed that such decisions are never straightforward, while outlining a renewed focus on rebuilding.
Moody added that the team is thankful for what Pant has contributed in the dressing room as captain. He said Lucknow’s attention now turns to rebuilding and restructuring together, with the aim of reaching “the best standards” ahead of what comes next.
