LSG might look to remove Pant before the IPL 2026 auction.
Rishabh Pant became the most expensive player in the league’s history after Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) bought him for INR 27 crores in the IPL 2025 auction. He was always going to earn a whopping amount, but LSG went all-out to get him in their team. Pant has been a quality player, but his T20 credentials have not been as encouraging.
MAL-W
–
ASM-W
–
VBG
188/3
KNCC
73/10
VfB Gelsenkirchen beat Koln CC by 115 runs
VBG
166/6
SCK
144/4
VfB Gelsenkirchen beat SC Krefeld Spartans by 22 runs
KNCC
89/8
LEM
92/9
Lenkerbeck Marl beat Koln CC by 1 wickets
SCK
116/6
GCA
115/8
SC Krefeld Spartans beat Grey Caps Aachen by 4 wickets
GCA
63/10
LEM
64/1
Lenkerbeck Marl beat Grey Caps Aachen by 9 wickets
SCK
–
LEM
–
SCK
–
KNCC
–
GCA
–
KNCC
–
LEM
–
VBG
–
VBG
–
GCA
–
91YC
92/3
NVR
88/10
91 Yards Club beat Navarang Club by 7 wickets
GTC
71/2
BCC
–
Match Abandoned due to rain.
NVR
–
CCC
–
GTC
–
BCC
–
CD
–
HH
–
GUJCC
79/1
RLC
–
CEC-A
–
MECS
–
WAF
175/5
MINY
180/7
MI New York won by 5 runs
KAK
–
RWT
–
YAR
–
OAW
–
DURH
–
LEI
–
DUR-W
–
SUR-W
–
ZIM
141/6
SA
142/5
South Africa beat Zimbabwe by 5 wickets
Still, LSG showed ample trust in his abilities and bought him with high expectations. Unfortunately, Pant couldn’t perform as consistently as the team would have liked, for he was below par as both batter and captain. Hence, LSG might look to release him before the IPL 2026 auction since he is taking a big chunk of the purse.
We look at three players who can captain LSG if they decide not to persist with Pant.
Aiden Markram might emerge as the most popular captaincy choice if Pant doesn’t continue. Markram has been South Africa’s captain in the shortest format and has led them successfully lately. This includes taking them to the T20 World Cup 2024 final, where they fell short by a few runs.
Additionally, Makram has previous experience leading an IPL franchise, as he captained Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) before. While his IPL track record as a captain is not too encouraging, the Proteas skipper has successfully led the Sunrisers Eastern Cape in SA20, winning two titles in three editions. He has been a permanent member of the side and performed exceptionally well in IPL 2025, which also goes in his favour.
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Mitchell Marsh is another solid candidate to captain LSG if they decide not to choose Markram. He has become a permanent captain of Australia’s T20I team. Australia announcing him as their captain suggests he has the leadership qualities and can help the team in the right ways.
Marsh has a terrific record as Australia’s captain, winning 16 out of 19 matches with a win% of 84.21. He also has the captaincy experience in the Big Bash League (BBL) and understands how to lead a franchise. He was also terrific with the willow last season, so his place is secure in the XI.
Among the finest T20 batters in the world, Nicholas Pooran has all the experience to lead LSG. He has previously captained the West Indies and understands how this format works. He plays all around the world and has led numerous franchises across the globe.
Currently, he is the captain of MI New York in the Major League Cricket (MLC) 2025 and has taken them to the final of the competition. While his captaincy record might not look too great, Pooran has the experience, which will help them adapt quickly to this added responsibility. As of now, Markram and Marsh are better options, but Pooran can also lead LSG if required.
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