The IPL Auction Maverick: Rishabh Pant Breaks the Bank

The Unwelcome Suitor

After being crowned captain of Lucknow Super Giants, star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant spilled the beans on his secret relief. He revealed that he had dreaded joining Punjab Kings (PBKS).

Pant, who was released by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, became the costliest ever buy in the tournament's history. Lucknow Super Giants snapped him up for a jaw-dropping Rs 27 crore.

Pant confessed, "From within, I had only one worry. That was Punjab. Their budget was so extravagant that you couldn't say no. They had an astonishing 110 crore, while the second-highest was merely Rs. 82 crore. When Shreyas joined Punjab, I felt a wave of relief wash over me, because I knew I could join Lucknow Super Giants now."

The T20 Juggernaut

The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter is a pivotal figure in all formats for India and a dynamic presence on the field. Having established himself as a force in Test cricket, Pant's T20 game is just as formidable.

While his T20I statistics may seem underwhelming, with an average of 23.25 and only three half-centuries in 76 matches, his overall T20 numbers are impressive. Pant has amassed 5,022 runs in 202 matches at an average of 31.78, with two centuries and 25 fifties.

The Delhi Legacy

Pant spent his entire IPL career with Delhi Capitals, начиная с 2016 года. Он набрал 3284 рана в 110 матчах со средним показателем 35,31, 1 веком и 18 полтинниками. В сезоне 2021 года он стал капитаном команды и привел ее в плей-офф.