Delhi Capitals (DC) were unable to retain Rishabh Pant after failing to reach an agreement on terms. While the keeper-batter clarified that the split wasn’t about money, he chose not to share further details about his departure.
In the IPL 2025 mega-auction, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured the India international for a record-breaking ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history.
LSG faced stiff competition from Sunrisers Hyderabad before reaching the ₹20.75 crore mark. At this point, DC exercised their Right to Match (RTM) card, but LSG upped the ante to ₹27 crore, a figure Delhi couldn’t match.
Pant joined the Super Giants and is widely expected to be named their captain for the upcoming season.
Following the auction, DC co-owner Parth Jindal expressed his emotions in a heartfelt social media post. Jindal shared his disappointment at Pant’s departure, referring to the player as his “younger brother” and expressing hope for a future reunion.
“To Rishabh, you are and will always remain my younger brother. From the bottom of my heart, I love you and have tried everything to ensure you are happy, treating you like family. I am very sad to see you go and feel very emotional about it,” Jindal wrote.
“You will always be part of DC, and I hope one day we can reunite. Thank you for everything, Rishabh, and remember that we will always love you. Go well, champ—the world is at your feet. Best wishes from all of us at @DelhiCapitals—except when you play DC, of course. Otherwise, I will always cheer for you and wish you the best,” he added.
During his time with Delhi Capitals, Pant played 111 matches, scoring 3,284 runs at a blistering strike rate of 148.93. As captain, he led the team for four seasons, though the franchise fell short of clinching the title during his tenure.