Rishabh Pant has been traded to Delhi Capitals from Lucknow Super Giants at a revised fee of INR 15 crore, the BCCI confirmed on June 23, 2026.
Kuldeep Yadav moves in the opposite direction, joining LSG at his existing fee of INR 13.50 crore. This is the first confirmed player trade ahead of IPL 2027 and marks Pant’s return to the franchise where he spent nine seasons between 2016 and 2024.
The deal also means Pant has accepted a massive INR 12 crore pay cut, down from the record INR 27 crore that LSG paid for him at the 2025 mega auction.
What Does the Pant-Kuldeep Trade Look Like?
The BCCI released an official media advisory confirming the swap between Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday.
| Detail | Kuldeep Yadav | Kuldeep Yadav |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | LSG → DC | DC → LSG |
| Fee | INR 15 crore (revised) | INR 13.50 crore (existing) |
| Previous Fee | INR 27 crore (2025 auction) | INR 13.25 crore (retention) |
| Role | Wicketkeeper-batter | Left-arm wrist spinner |
| IPL 2027 Team | Delhi Capitals | Lucknow Super Giants |
Pant becomes the second high-profile Indian cricketer after Ravindra Jadeja to accept a significant pay cut as part of an IPL trade.
How Does This Trade Affect the Auction Purse?
Every trade has a financial ripple. Here is how the IPL 2027 auction purse changes for both franchises.
For LSG: They release Pant’s INR 27 crore salary and take on Kuldeep at INR 13.25 crore. That adds approximately INR 13.75 crore back into their auction kitty.
For DC: They release Kuldeep’s salary and acquire Pant at INR 15 crore. The net deduction from their purse is approximately INR 1.25 crore.
For a franchise like LSG that finished dead last in IPL 2026, that extra purse room is critical for a squad rebuild at the next auction window.
Why Did Rishabh Pant Leave Lucknow Super Giants?
Put simply, the Pant-LSG partnership never clicked. Two seasons, two disappointing campaigns, and a captaincy resignation summed up a tenure that started with record-breaking hype.
The Numbers Tell the Story
| Season | Matches | Runs | Average | SR | 50+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IPL 2025 | 14 | 269 | 24.45 | 133.16 | 1* |
| IPL 2026 | 14 | 312 | 28.36 | 138.05 | 2 |
| Total at LSG | 28 | 581 | — | – | 3 |
*Includes his century (118*) in the final league match of IPL 2025.
Just three fifty-plus scores across 28 innings for INR 27 crore. For context, Pant struck at 149 and averaged over 35 during his nine-season spell with DC. At LSG, both numbers dropped sharply.
The Captaincy Crisis
As LSG skipper, Pant won just 10 matches and lost 18. The franchise finished seventh in both 2024 (under KL Rahul) and 2025, then slid to the bottom of the table in 2026.
Two days before the IPL 2026 final, Pant informed LSG that he was stepping down as captain. The announcement came after team director Tom Moody publicly stated that the franchise was looking to “reset” its leadership group.
LSG’s official statement confirmed the move, saying Pant had “requested to be relieved from his captaincy duties” and the franchise had “accepted the request with immediate effect.”
What Does Rishabh Pant Bring Back to Delhi Capitals?
Home is where the runs are, or at least that’s what DC will be hoping. Pant’s record at Delhi Capitals is significantly stronger than his LSG numbers.
Those 111 appearances are the most by any player in Delhi Capitals history. He captained the franchise across 43 matches from 2021 to 2024, including leading them to their maiden IPL final in 2020.
DC’s current captain Axar Patel will continue to lead the side in IPL 2027. Pant returns as a pure batter and wicketkeeper without the captaincy burden, which is a role that might suit his natural, aggressive game better.
The move mirrors Hardik Pandya’s return to Mumbai Indians from Gujarat Titans in 2024. Both players went back to the franchise that shaped their IPL careers.
KKR Were Also in the Race for Pant
DC were not the only franchise interested. According to reports, three-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders also made an approach for Pant ahead of IPL 2027.
Ultimately, Pant’s nine-year history with Delhi and the familiarity with the franchise setup tipped the scales. DC co-owners Kiran Grandhi and Parth Jindal had parted ways with Pant before the 2025 mega auction after disagreements over captaincy. With Axar now firmly in charge, that roadblock no longer exists.
What Kuldeep Yadav Brings to Lucknow Super Giants
Kuldeep Yadav leaves Delhi after five productive seasons. Since joining DC in 2022, the left-arm wrist spinner picked up 72 wickets in 65 matches at an economy of 8.24. His overall IPL record stands at 112 wickets in 110 matches.
His 2026 season was underwhelming, though. Kuldeep managed just 10 wickets in 12 matches at an economy of 10.29 and an average of 38.10. Even his own captain, Axar Patel, publicly acknowledged Kuldeep’s struggles during the season.
Why LSG Still Want Kuldeep
Three reasons stand out. First, Kuldeep is the most successful left-arm wrist spinner in IPL history. One bad season does not erase a body of work that includes a 21-wicket haul in 2022 and consistent middle-overs threat across multiple campaigns.
Second, the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow is known to offer assistance for spinners. Kuldeep’s variations, particularly his googly and his ability to extract bounce, could thrive on that surface.
Third, and this one is less about cricket, Kuldeep hails from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, and plays domestic cricket for UP. He will now represent the IPL franchise that carries his home state’s identity. That local connection resonates with fans and franchise branding alike.
How Does This Trade Compare to Previous IPL Swaps?
Player trades have become an increasingly common tool in IPL squad management. Here is how the Pant-Kuldeep swap stacks up against other major trades in recent seasons.
| Trade | Season | From → To | Key Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rishabh Pant | IPL 2027 | LSG → DC | INR 12 crore pay cut |
| Hardik Pandya | IPL 2024 | GT → MI | All-cash trade, took over MI captaincy |
| Ravindra Jadeja | IPL 2026 | CSK → RR | Pay cut from INR 18 crore |
| Sanju Samson | IPL 2026 | RR → CSK | Traded alongside Jadeja deal |
Pant’s INR 12 crore reduction is the steepest pay cut any player has taken in an IPL trade so far. It reflects both his dip in form and the financial realities of franchise squad planning.
What This Trade Means for IPL 2027
Here some key points for both teams:
For Delhi Capitals
DC get back the player who defined their franchise identity for nearly a decade. With Axar Patel as captain and Pant freed from leadership duties, the franchise now has a proper wicketkeeper-batter in the middle order. They lose Kuldeep’s spin threat but gain a match-winner who averaged over 35 at the Arun Jaitley Stadium across nine seasons.
For Lucknow Super Giants
LSG shed a massive salary, gain significant auction purse room, and add a proven international spinner. With the leadership “reset” Tom Moody spoke about now well underway, Kuldeep slots into a rebuilding project. The challenge for the franchise will be finding a new captain and constructing a squad that can bounce back from a last-place finish.
Both franchises get what they need from this deal. DC secure their prodigal son at a discount. LSG clear salary space and gain a quality spinner for spin-friendly Lucknow. Whether Pant rediscovers his 2018 form at his old stomping ground, or whether Kuldeep’s craft finds new life at the Ekana, will be the story to watch when IPL 2027 rolls around.
