Rishabh Pant is set for a sensational return to the Delhi Capitals from the Lucknow Super Giants in a major trade deal. Kuldeep Yadav will move to LSG, while Pant has reportedly taken a ₹12 crore pay cut after stepping down as captain and poor form.
Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is set to part ways with the Lucknow Super Giants and orchestrate a sensational return to the Delhi Capitals, where he spent IPL seasons. Pant recently stepped down as LSG captain after the side failed to qualify for the playoffs for the second consecutive IPL season.
It has not been a month since the IPL 2026 concluded, and the LSG management has already hinted at a massive squad overhaul, including a change in leadership after Rishabh Pant stepped down from captaincy. The wicketkeeper-batter’s INR 27 crore price tag came under heavy scrutiny, as his performance across both seasons fell significantly short of justifying the record-breaking investment.
Scoring 269 runs in IPL 2025 and 312 runs in the recently concluded season left him dealing with immense scrutiny and a crushing weight of expectation. It was already reported that Rishabh Pant might part ways with LSG, where he led the side to 10 wins and lost 18 matches during his tenure. The franchise and the player mutually recognized that a total reset was necessary.
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Pant To Take Massive Paycut in a Major Trade Deal
Rishabh Pant’s move from Lucknow Super Giants to Delhi Capitals will not be a one-way street transaction, as Kuldeep Yadav is set to join the LSG, a direct counterpart in this blockbuster swap. This is likely to be the first major trade deal ahead of the IPL 2027, which promises to shake up the dynamics of the league as franchises begin early preparations for the mini-auction.
However, the wicketkeeper-batter is reportedly willing to return to the Delhi Capitals by taking a massive pay cut of INR 12 crore. According to the report by Cricbuzz, Rishabh Pant has agreed to a revised fee of approximately INR 15 crore to facilitate the sensational homecoming. This is a nearly 45% drop from his original INR 27 crore valuation.
Kuldeep Yadav, on the other hand, will reportedly trade to Lucknow Super Giants for his existing INR 13.25 crore contract, completing a high-profile player swap that requires final BCCI ratification. It is more of a two-way financial transaction between the two franchises, requiring the Delhi Capitals to pay the remaining cash balance of INR 13.75 crore to legally complete the transaction.
Despite being the most expensive player in IPL history, Rishabh Pant has reportedly agreed to take a massive pay cut and return to the Delhi Capitals for INR 15 crore, 1 crore less than what he previously commanded at the Delhi franchise before entering the mega-auction.
Reason Behind Pant’s 12 Crore Paycut
Rishabh Pant’s salary cut from INR 27 crore to INR 15 crore was necessitated by the sheer financial unviability of absorbing an INR 27 crore contract within a standard player-swap framework, coupled with underwhelming performances with the bat in the last couple of IPL seasons.
Trading Pant from LSG at his current price tag could severely restrict franchise interest, as they would be unwilling to disrupt the squad’s financial equilibrium and salary cap structure for a player enduring a prolonged form slump. Under the IPL regulations, the framework of player trades allows players to renegotiate and take a pay cut voluntarily, and Pant’s willingness to take a pay cut to INR 15 crore broke the financial deadlock.
With Kuldeep Yadav also involved in a trade deal between DC and LSG, heading to Lucknow for INR 13.25 crore, the financial delta between the two players required the Delhi franchise to pay an additional INR 13.75 crore in corporate cash to LSG to balance the IPL salary cap ledger perfectly.
Additionally, Pant’s pay cut reflects his priority to escape the intense pressure cooker of a record-breaking valuation and return to his comfort zone at Delhi, his home, focusing purely on regaining his explosive form rather than trying to justify an inflated price tag.
The trade proposal by both the franchises has been sent to the IPL Governing Council for approval, and then, awaiting formal ratification, the transaction will be officially finalized once the IPL trade window opens.
