New Delhi, June 23: When walked away from Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, few imagined that he would be back at the franchise just two seasons later.
Yet on Tuesday (June 23), Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants completed one of the most significant player trades in IPL history, with returning to his former franchise while India spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved to Lucknow.
The trade not only reunites Delhi with one of the biggest stars in its history but also completes a remarkable salary journey for Pant, whose IPL value has gone from ₹15 crore to a record-breaking ₹27 crore and back to ₹15 crore again.
Pant's Record-Breaking Move to Lucknow
Pant's departure from Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2025 was among the biggest stories of that auction cycle.
Having spent nine
seasons with the franchise and captained the side between 2021 and 2024, Pant entered the auction as arguably the most sought-after Indian player available. The bidding war that followed rewrote IPL history.
Lucknow Super Giants eventually secured his services for ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player ever purchased in the tournament. The deal surpassed every previous auction record and underlined the franchise's belief that Pant could be the face of its future.
LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka had publicly stated that Pant was expected to be a long-term investment for the franchise.
Two Difficult Seasons
The reality, however, proved very different. Lucknow endured a disappointing IPL 2025 campaign, finishing seventh after winning only six of their 14 league matches.
Things became even worse in IPL 2026. Under Pant's captaincy, LSG finished at the bottom of the points table with four wins and ten defeats.
Pant's batting returns also failed to match expectations. The left-hander scored 269 runs in IPL 2025 and followed it up with 312 runs in IPL 2026, registering just one half-century during the latter campaign.
For a player carrying a ₹27 crore price tag and the responsibility of leading a franchise, the numbers fell short of expectations.
The ₹12 Crore Pay Cut
As part of the blockbuster trade with Delhi Capitals, Pant will now earn ₹15 crore. That means the wicketkeeper-batter has effectively taken a ₹12 crore pay cut compared to the contract he signed with Lucknow Super Giants two years ago.
The reduction amounts to almost 45 per cent of his previous salary. However, the headline figure only tells part of the story.
A Return to Familiar Territory
Long before he became the IPL's first ₹27 crore player, Pant had already established himself as one of Delhi Capitals' most valuable assets.
In fact, ₹15 crore was the salary he earned for four consecutive seasons between 2018 and 2021. Delhi then increased his pay to ₹16 crore from 2022 to 2024.
The latest trade therefore returns Pant almost exactly to the valuation bracket where he spent the majority of his IPL career.
Rishabh Pant's IPL Salary History
| Year | Salary | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | ₹15 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2019 | ₹15 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2020 | ₹15 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2021 | ₹15 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2022 | ₹16 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2023 | ₹16 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2024 | ₹16 crore | Delhi Capitals |
| 2025 | ₹27 crore | Lucknow Super Giants |
| 2026 | ₹27 crore | Lucknow Super Giants |
| 2027* | ₹15 crore | Delhi Capitals |
*Following the trade between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants.
Why Delhi Wanted Him Back
For Delhi Capitals, the trade is about much more than finances.
Pant remains the most-capped player in franchise history with 111 appearances between 2016 and 2024. He was the face of the team during one of the most successful periods in the franchise's history and developed a strong bond with the fan base.
His return gives Delhi an experienced Indian leader and one of the most explosive wicketkeeper-batters in world cricket.
The franchise will also hope that familiar surroundings help Pant rediscover the form that once made him the most coveted player in the IPL.
Rishabh Pant Completes Full Circle
The numbers paint a fascinating picture. From ₹15 crore at Delhi Capitals to a historic ₹27 crore payday at Lucknow Super Giants and now back to ₹15 crore with Delhi again, Pant's IPL salary journey has come full circle.
Whether the move proves successful on the field remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: one of the IPL's biggest stars is back where it all began.
