Rishabh Pant Resigns as Lucknow Super Giants Captain

Lucknow. Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has resigned as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants after the team finished at the bottom of the table in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. Pant had informed the franchise team of his decision last Friday. Lucknow's Cricket Director Tom Moody confirmed this development in an official statement. According to Cricket Director Moody, Pant himself expressed his desire to step down from captaincy, and the team has respectfully accepted his decision. Moody said, 'Such decisions are never easy to make. We are grateful for the contribution Rishabh has made to the dressing room as captain. Now our focus will be on collective performance, team restructuring, and rebuilding to reach the highest level.' Further clarifying Pant's decision, Moody told ESPNcricinfo's 'Time Out' program that Pant felt it was time to step back from captaincy for now and focus solely on the game as a player. 'The past few years have been difficult for Pant, and he has not been able to perform to his usual standards. Therefore, this decision is right for both Pant and the franchise,' Moody added, 'Hopefully, this decision will help him play cricket in his old style.' Moody stated that everyone understands the need for a change in leadership, as Lucknow finished seventh, seventh, and tenth in the last three seasons. When asked about Pant's future with Lucknow after stepping down from captaincy, Moody said he could not give a concrete answer at this time. He informed that as the tournament is not yet fully over, decisions regarding future strategies and roles will be made only after a detailed review of the season and evaluation of all team players. The 28-year-old Pant is the second captain in the history of Lucknow Super Giants after KL Rahul. Rahul led the team from 2022 to 2024. It is known that after being released by Delhi Capitals, Pant was bought by Lucknow for 27 crore Indian Rupees in the IPL 2025 mega auction, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. Upon joining the team, Pant had said he would give his 200% to Lucknow and enjoy playing with new energy. However, under Pant's leadership, the team did not achieve the expected success, nor was his personal performance encouraging. In Pant's captaincy, Lucknow played a total of 28 matches, winning 10 and losing 18, with the team finishing seventh in IPL 2025 and tenth in 2026. Pant's individual batting form was also disappointing; he scored only 269 runs at a strike rate of 133.16 in the 2025 season and 312 runs at a strike rate of 138.05 in the 2026 season. Moody has not set a timeline for who will be Lucknow's new captain and when the announcement will be made. Senior foreign players in the team like Mitchell Marsh, Aiden Markram, and Nicholas Pooran are considered strong contenders for the Lucknow captaincy.