Kolkata, Jan 20 After being unveiled as the captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) ahead of the IPL 2025 season, Rishabh Pant has vowed to give his 200 per cent commitment in terms of leading the franchise, who are chasing their maiden championship win this year.
IANS had previously reported on Saturday that Pant was highly likely to be appointed as LSG’s new captain after being bought by the franchise for a record Rs 27 crore at the mega auction last year.
"Thank you to LSG family for showing faith in me. I will give my 200% and that's my commitment to you. I will try whatever is in my power to repay the faith you have shown. Looking forward to have a new beginning with new energy and just have a blast out there, and have lots of fun," said Pant in a press conference in Kolkata alongside principal team owner Sanjiv Goenka and mentor Zaheer Khan.
Pant will now be LSG’s fourth captain in their history of playing in the IPL after KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya. He takes over from Rahul, who was at the helm since 2022 but moved to Delhi Capitals (DC) after entering the auction. This will be the second IPL team Pant will be captaining after previously leading Delhi Capitals.
Pant had been DC’s captain from 2021 to 2024 editions of the IPL, barring the 2023 season, which he missed due to recovery from various injuries sustained in a life-threatening car accident in December 2022.
But ahead of the IPL 2025 retention deadline, he was released by DC, with the leadership role being the main reason behind his nine-year association with the franchise ending on October 31.
In a show on Star Sports, while unveiling Pant as LSG’s captain, Goenka predicted that the left-handed wicketkeeper-batter has all the ingredients to be one of the most successful IPL captains after MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
“My thinking was that time will prove that he’s not the only most expensive player in IPL but he’s going to be the best player in IPL. I have never seen a player with so much hunger and energy; he has a casual style of leadership; it is almost like the boy next door.”
"I see a born leader in Rishabh Pant. He will probably be the best captain IPL has ever seen. People now say Mahi & Rohit are IPL’s most successful captains. Mark my words, after 10-12 years, it will be Mahi, Rohit and Pant.”
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