New Delhi: A major headline in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) was Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) securing Rishabh Pant for a record ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in the tournament’s history, despite Delhi Capitals (DC) attempting to use the Right to Match (RTM) card. Rishabh was the part of Delhi Capital since 2016 and also captained the side for 3 years, 2021, 22, 24. The star Indian batsman missed the IPL 2023 due to a horrific car accident.
Rishabh Pant’s decision to enter the auction drew significant backlash towards Delhi Capitals. In response, co-owner Parth Jindal addressed the criticism, denying any internal disputes within the ownership group. Jindal, who described Pant as his “favourite player after Sourav Ganguly,” acknowledged the franchise’s failure to retain him, ultimately leading to his departure.
“After Dada, my favourite cricketer has been Rishabh Pant. In my heart, I am really emotional and sad; I lost my favourite cricketer. He will continue to remain my favourite but very happy with the auction.
“We lost Rishabh the minute we did not retain him. Let us not try to kid ourselves that we were ever going to get him back in the auction. If I had used Right to Match (RTM) at that price, I would have ruined the auction for Delhi Capitals (DC). Rishabh Pant at 18 crore and at 27 crore is a completely different proposition,” Jindal explained to Revsportz.
Jindal also shared that while Pant did not meet the franchise’s expectations, their feedback was not well-received by the Indian star. He emphasized that the decision was a collective one, with the ownership group in agreement. Jindal further explained that Pant’s price set by LSG was simply too high for them to bring him back. “It wasn’t about ownership. We were fully aligned as a group. It was a joint decision after many discussions with Rishabh. There were expectations that were not met in the past season and the ones before that. Unfortunately, the feedback wasn’t taken as intended. He made an emotional choice, despite growing up in this franchise,” Jindal stated.
Jindal reflected on Pant’s early days with the franchise, saying, “He was just a young boy when he started with Delhi Daredevils, and we gave him his first opportunity. While the details of what happened are not important, we did have a long discussion. Ultimately, Rishabh chose to move in a different direction. Both Kiran and I made every effort to keep him, but he decided to leave. I told him, ‘It’s okay, I won’t pursue you in the auction.’ However, when the auction came around, my emotions got the better of me, and I tried to bring him back. Unfortunately, the price became too high. In the end, it was a collective decision we made.”
Pant holds the distinction of being the longest-serving player in DC‘s history, having played the most matches for the franchise. The Indian wicketkeeper-batter featured in 111 games, amassing 3284 runs at an average of 35.31. At the IPL 2025 auction, LSG secured Pant after a bidding battle, winning him for Rs. 20.75 crore. DC chose to exercise their Right to Match (RTM) card, but LSG raised the stakes with a stunning Rs. 27 crore bid, which the Capitals ultimately did not match.
