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Rishabh Pant was bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in the IPL 2025 mega auction for INR 27 Crores, making him the most expensive player ever bought in IPL auctions. However, Sanjiv Goenka, LSG owner has thrown a spanner in Rishabh Pant’s plans to captain the franchise.

Sanjiv Goenka further mentioned that the squad has four captains, including Rishabh Pant, Team India’s wicketkeeper batter. Goenka’s comments also left it unclear who will captain LSG in the IPL 2025 if not Rishabh Pant.

Prior to the auction, the Super Giants retained Nicholas Pooran for Rs 21 crore, along with Mohsin Khan, Ayush Badoni, Mayank Yadav, and Ravi Bishnoi. LSG strengthened their batting lineup with the addition of South African batsmen Aiden Markram and David Miller, as well as Australian T20I captain Mitchell Marsh.

David Miller was their most expensive overseas purchase at Rs 7.50 crore during the auction. The Lucknow-based club re-signed teenage fast bowler Avesh Khan and acquired Indian pacer Akash Deep to strengthen their bowling assault. Avesh Khan was chosen for Rs 9.75 crore and Akash Deep for Rs 8 crore.

Sanjiv Goenka mum on LSG captain for IPL 2025

In the 2025 mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Super Giants paid Rs 27 crore for Rishabh Pant, setting a new record price. Rishabh Pant became the highest-paid player in IPL history. LSG outbid Delhi Capitals, who declined to use its RTM card after the bid reached Rs 27 crore.

Sanjiv Goenka stated that the franchise was focused on developing a solid middle order. Goenka remarked that they supported the all-Indian pace attack over international pacers.

“Our internal feeling is that our auction was excellent. Our focus was that our middle order and finishing should be extremely strong. Our No. 3 to No. 8 is very strong. Our second wish was to go with a completely Indian-pace attack instead of international pace, and explosive international batters. Now we have got a combination of the two.

We have four leaders in our team – Rishabh, Pooran, Markram and Mitch Marsh. So it becomes a very strong leadership pool of intellect and thought, and strategy. They are all people who can go with the mindset to win. Rishabh has the hunger and passion to win. So a good team has been built. We are happy. Overall, the balance is also okay and no team is 10 on 10,” Goenka said on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.

Sanjiv Goenka reveals why LSG went hard for Rishabh Pant in IPL 2025 auction

In the same video, Sanjiv Goenka stated that he wanted Rishabh Pant to join the Lucknow Super Giants after seeing his game-changing skills during the 2024 T20 World Cup final. He stated that Pant demonstrated smart thinking under pressure by removing his pads to impede the opposition’s momentum.

“I saw a video of Rishabh where he did dramebaazi (acting) on the field. He slowed the momentum. I liked that attitude a lot, that you have that extra thought to change the momentum when everything was going against us by removing the pads. From that time, I had in my mind that if only Rishabh had been in my team,” Goenka said.