Rishabh Pant Steps Down as LSG Captain After Difficult IPL 2026 Season. Following a poor season in IPL 2026, Rishabh Pant has decided to resign as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants as of today. The club released an official statement confirming this decision on Thursday, with Tom Moody, the director of cricket, announcing it and offering his thanks to Pant for his support. Pant approached the club to relinquish his duties as captain. Management respected Pant’s wishes by granting the request. Despite LSG having a disappointing season, Moody applauded Pant for being an example behind-the-scenes, stating that leadership has generally been hard work for all players.
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Tom Moody Backs Pant as LSG Begin Rebuild
Moody stated LSG will now focus on “rebuilding and restructuring.” Pant’s decision comes after LSG finished 10th on the points table in 2026 with just 4 wins from their 14 games. They finished near the bottom of the table and were not really in contention for the playoffs at any stage during the season—the season was a mixed bag of results, with several missed chances.
Pant had been purchased for a record buy of ₹27 crore from LSG before the 2025 season and became the highest-paid player in the history of the IPL at that time. The franchise gave him the captaincy position right away. With fans expecting him to usher in a new era as captain, expectations were high. Unfortunately, LSG struggled in both IPL 2025, when they were seventh, and IPL 2026, where they finished even worse.
Chance to Focus on Batting Again
Pant also had trouble finding his best batting form, finishing with only 312 runs this season at a strike rate of 138. Many fans have reacted positively to this decision, arguing that he can concentrate on batting. Fans still look back fondly at his incredible IPL 2018 season, where he scored 684 runs with a strike rate of greater than 173.
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It is still considered among the best seasons ever for any Indian player in IPL history. Many fans anticipate he can return to that level of performance. LSG will now begin the search for a new captain for IPL 2027, and they will likely make many changes at their next auction. For Pant, this could present an opportunity for a fresh beginning. He will be looking to once again recapture his explosive batting ability and do his part to help LSG recover from their disappointments.