The Indian Premier League (IPL) has announced that a high-profile transfer agreement between Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav has been finalised. Pant, who was bought by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for INR 27 crore in the IPL 2025 auction, will now play for his old side, Delhi Capitals (DC). He joins DC for a revised fee of INR 15 crore.
Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand, has joined LSG for INR 13.50 crore.
Pant began his IPL career with Delhi franchise, where he served nine seasons (2016-2024) and made 111 appearances, the most by any DC player. He also led the franchise in 43 matches over four seasons, from 2021 to 2024, and was one of their most recognisable faces for over a decade.
Kuldeep, on the other hand, has spent five seasons with DC and will be making his LSG debut. During his tenure at DC, Kuldeep took 72 wickets in 65 matches and established himself as a key player of the team.
Pant’s performance has been under intense criticism, and the transfer comes at a critical time for him. Despite being purchased for INR 27 crore, he failed to justify the price tag in terms of both batting and leadership abilities. LSG finished eleventh this season, with just four victories out of a possible fourteen. The unit was as unpredictable in Pant’s debut season as LSG captain in IPL 2025. Then, LSG finished eighth, with six victories and eight defeats.
The impact Pant was unable to make with the bat ought to have been much more amusing. Pant failed to impress with the bat, with the exception of one century in the 2025 edition, which occurred after LSG had been eliminated.
It would be intriguing to see who LSG chooses as their next captain; however, Pant has already stood down following the completion of IPL 2026. As he has previously led Delhi and the franchise is also looking for a new leader, the franchise may be persuaded to assign Pant the responsibility.