Now, the highly talked about trading of Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav has finally happened. Rishabh Pant, who had been bought for a massive Rs 27 crore by the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the IPL 2025 auction, the most expensive win in IPL history to date, will now play for DC, his previous franchise. Pant is being paid an amount of Rs 15 crore.
Kuldeep’s five-year run with DC to END!
It is certainly a huge change in the lineup ahead of the next IPL season, and Pant will now rejoin the team he played for for nine years, from 2016 till 2024 making 111 appearances for them, the most appearances made by any cricketer for Delhi Capitals, and has led them in 43 games.
Kuldeep will be joining Lucknow after his successful five-year run with Delhi Capitals, where he managed to take 72 wickets in 65 games and became one of the most successful wicket-takers in the tournament.
The Rishabh-Kuldeep SWAP DEAL is sealed!
Pant will be returning to his old team after having a tough time in the last two seasons playing for Lucknow, where he was not able to meet the expectations after his record-breaking price at the auction.
However, there are more changes to come as the teams make moves to restructure their squads before the next season of Indian Premier League.
Rishabh Pant – The Second Marquee player to Accept a PAY-CUT!
Pant, who became the most expensive player in IPL history with his Rs 27 crore signing with LSG in the 2025 mega auction, is back with Delhi for Rs 15 crore. Kuldeep, on the other hand, will play for LSG on an Rs 13.5 crore contract.
Pant is the second marquee player to take a pay cut in one of the biggest IPL transfers ever. Before the start of the 2026 season, Chennai Super Kings traded Ravindra Jadeja for Rajasthan Royals’ captain Sanju Samson, with Jadeja’s remuneration coming down from Rs 18 crore to Rs 14 crore, which was his retention price in 2022.
Immense Scrutiny on Rishabh’s Performance
This move has come in a period when Pant has been facing a lot of criticism for his performance. Despite getting acquired for such a hefty price of Rs 27 crore, Pant was not able to prove himself as worthy of this price, both batting and as a captain.
LSG finished with a disappointing tenth this season, winning only four matches out of a total of 14. LSG was no less inconsistent with Pant as its captain in its first season in IPL 2025. Last season, LSG finished with seventh rank, winning six and losing eight matches.
LSG’s Next Captain uncertain after Pant leaves
More frustrating was the lack of contributions Pant provided with his bat; except for the solitary century in the 2025 season, where he scored it after LSG got knocked out of the tournament, Pant has nothing to show with his bat.
It will be exciting to see whom LSG appoints as the new captain of the team, although Pant had already stepped down from his position at the end of IPL 2026. As Pant has already captained Delhi once and LSG is also looking for a captain, Pant might get this job.
Lucknow in need of Finest Wrist Spinner in LSG Squad
The signing of Kuldeep is a major boost for Lucknow since it gets to have one of the best wrist spinners in the league. The player from Uttar Pradesh will henceforth play for his native state’s team in the IPL. Despite not having had a very impressive 2026 season following his limited action for India during their successful T20 World Cup, Kuldeep proved to be a pivotal player for Delhi Capitals in the past four years, taking 72 wickets in 65 games at an economy rate of 8.24.
Also Read: Pandya-Jaiswal Trade Discussions Between MI & RR
Conclusion on Pant-Yadav Exchange Deal
Following his immensely successful stint with Delhi Capitals that lasted for five years, Kuldeep now represents LSG in the T20 league. Having played for the franchise since 2022, he has accounted for 72 wickets from 65 games and made a name for himself as a prolific wicket-taker in the competition.
This development had already been highly anticipated after reports emerged hinting at a possible deal between the two clubs post the end of the IPL 2026 season.
Pant, who came on board in the IPL 2025 mega auction through a club-record purchase fee of Rs 27 crore, has failed to live up to the expectation over the last couple of seasons.
