Rishabh Pant Resigns as Captain of Lucknow Super Giants Amidst Team Struggles

Rishabh Pant Steps Down from Captaincy

Rishabh Pant has officially resigned from his position as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), a request that the franchise has promptly accepted. The highest-paid player in the IPL has held this role for two seasons, during which the team has not managed to qualify for the playoffs. After finishing seventh in the 2025 season, they faced the disappointment of finishing last in the ongoing 2026 IPL season.

In an official statement, LSG announced, “Rishabh Pant has requested to be relieved of his captaincy duties, and we have accepted his request effective immediately.”

Tom Moody, the director of cricket for LSG, expressed appreciation for Pant's contributions and mentioned that the organization is planning a rebuild. “Rishabh approached us with this request, and we have accepted it respectfully. Such decisions are challenging. We are thankful for everything Rishabh has contributed as captain. Our focus now shifts to rebuilding and restructuring to achieve the highest standards,” Moody stated.

Pant's Underwhelming Batting Performance

While LSG's overall performance under Pant has declined, his individual batting statistics have also raised concerns. Over the two seasons (2025 and 2026), the 28-year-old accumulated only 581 runs with an average of 26.40 across 28 matches. His strike rate of 135.75 is also below expectations, with just one century and two half-centuries during this period. Pant was acquired by LSG for a record ₹27 crore in the 2025 mega auction after opting not to continue with Delhi Capitals (DC). It remains uncertain whether LSG will retain Pant at this substantial salary for the next season or if he will enter the auction or be traded to another team.

This resignation marks the conclusion of Pant's six-year captaincy journey in the IPL, having previously led DC from 2021 to 2024, excluding the 2023 season due to injury.