Rishabh Pant has become the main target of several franchises including Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. This is after Delhi Capitals (DC) have not confirmed whether they’ll retain their captain Pant or not.
While co-owner Parth Jindal stated that Pant would be their main retention, recent reports have suggested differently, fueling speculation.
According to a source in The Times of India, Delhi is taking its time deciding on Pant due to a massive overhaul in the franchise’s operations.
According to the article, with JSW and GMR now dividing responsibilities for running the franchise, Pant’s retention is once again being discussed, despite the fact that it was a certainty a few weeks before.
Many franchises are therefore waiting for Delhi to disclose their retention list so that they can estimate how much money they can spend on their retention if Pant gets freed and they need to pick him up.
Lucknow and the Punjab Kings, whose skipper Shikhar Dhawan has withdrawn from all forms of cricket, are also apparently vying for Pant’s number-one place.
Lucknow Super Giants aim for Rishabh Pant as they plan to let KL Rahul go
One of those franchises looking to bring in Rishabh Pant is Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). According to the report, Lucknow is ready to split company with skipper Rahul. Reports have been circulating since a video of owner Sanjeev Goenka and skipper Rahul emerged following a match against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, in which the former was seen furiously yelling at Rahul.
This move comes after Rahul and owner Sanjiv Goenka reportedly had a verbal spat last season following a crushing loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad. According to insiders, LSG is interested in retaining five players: Nicholas Pooran, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Ayush Badoni, and Mohsin Khan.
According to insiders, the Lucknow team management is dissatisfied with Rahul’s strike rate, which is a significant reason why they do not intend to keep him in the squad. He scored 520 runs in 14 matches in the IPL 2024, with a strike rate of 136.13, which is considered average for T20s in the current period.
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