Big IPL Trade Looms: Pant Nears DC Return, Kuldeep Likely to Join LSG

Lucknow Super Giants are expected to send Rishabh Pant back to his former franchise Delhi Capitals and receive Kuldeep Yadav in exchange.

Pant, who became the costliest player in IPL history after LSG bought him for INR 27 crore (US$ 3 million approx.) at the 2025 mega auction, is set to move to DC for INR 15 crore (US$ 1.5 million approx.). Both teams are still completing the paperwork for the deal and will then need approval from the BCCI.

Financial Effects of the Pant-Kuldeep Trade

In terms of the auction purse, LSG will receive an additional INR 13.75 crore due to the trade, calculated by subtracting Kuldeep’s INR 13.25 crore salary from Pant’s INR 27 crore salary. DC, meanwhile, will see INR 1.25 crore deducted from their purse, taking their spending on Pant to INR 15 crore.

Pant is set to become the second major player after Ravindra Jadeja to accept a pay cut as part of a trade. Before IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings pulled off one of the biggest trades in IPL history when they exchanged Jadeja for Sanju Samson with Rajasthan Royals.

CSK had retained Jadeja for INR 18 crore in 2022, but RR acquired him on a salary of INR 14 crore. It is believed that Pant was contacted by two franchises, DC and another team that has won the IPL title more than once, about playing for them.

Kuldeep Yadav Set to Join Home Franchise

Kuldeep, who represents Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket, is now set to play for the IPL team from his home state.

He endured a difficult IPL season this year after spending most of India’s title-winning T20 World Cup campaign on the sidelines. Kuldeep Yadav has been an absolute game-changer for the Delhi Capitals.

Since coming on board in 2022, the left-arm wrist-spinner has stepped up as a reliable weapon, bagging 72 wickets in 65 games with a solid economy of 8.24.

Pant’s Difficult Stint with Lucknow Super Giants

Two days before the IPL 2026 final, Pant informed LSG, who ended the season at the bottom of the points table, that he wanted to step down as captain.

The move came after LSG team director Tom Moody said immediately following the team’s final game of the season that the franchise was planning to “reset” its leadership after finishing seventh in 2024 and 2025 before ending last in 2026.

Pant spent two seasons with LSG, but the stint proved to be a tough one. As captain, he won 10 matches and lost 18. With the bat, he scored 581 runs at an average of 26.4 and a strike rate of 135.74, both lower than his overall T20 career numbers.

Pant’s Successful Spell with Delhi Capitals

That was very different from his three-and-a-half-year spell at DC, where he became the fifth-youngest captain in IPL history after initially being handed the role on an interim basis in 2021.

From 2021 to 2024, Pant captained DC in 44 matches. He missed the 2023 season while recovering from a car accident. During his time as captain, DC won 24 matches and lost 19.

As skipper, Pant scored 1,205 runs at an average of 35.44, which was almost the same as his overall IPL average of 35.31. He also batted at a strike rate of 143.96, only slightly below his career IPL strike rate of 148.93.

Also Read: IND vs AFG 3rd ODI: Match Prediction, Playing XI, Pitch Report And Match Details

Pant Heading Back to Where It All Began

If this deal goes through, Rishabh Pant’s return to the Delhi Capitals will heavily mirror Hardik Pandya’s high-profile move back to the Mumbai Indians. It marks a nostalgic full-circle moment, with both marquee players heading back to the exact franchises that launched their IPL careers.

In Pant’s case, he joined DC in 2016 when the franchise was still known as Delhi Daredevils. Pant parted ways with Delhi right before the 2025 mega auction, following a breakdown in negotiations with team owners Parth Jindal and Kiran Grandhi.

Follow Cricbites for the latest cricket updates, match schedules, player news, records, rankings and expert insights from around the world.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!