Rishabh Pant's Honest Reflection on His IPL Price Tag: '...it does bring a sense of disappointment'
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Rishabh Pant was officially announced as the captain of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on Monday, following his acquisition for a record amount in the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL). The prominent wicketkeeper-batter emerged as the standout purchase of the auction, surpassing the previous record held by Punjab Kings for Shreyas Iyer just moments earlier. Pant emphasized that he had mentally prepared himself to avoid dwelling on the potential price he would command.
"My thought process is quite straightforward. Upon arriving at the auction, I did not have a specific price in mind," Pant stated during an interview on Hotstar, alongside franchise owner Sanjeev Goenka. The 27-year-old had been the captain and a key figure for the Delhi Capitals until the previous season. He was one of the most sought-after players in this year's IPL mega auction, with LSG ultimately investing INR 27 crore to secure his services.
"It was irrelevant to me whether I was purchased for ₹5 crore or ₹10 crore. I had to reinforce that mindset. While it is challenging, it is essential to remind oneself of this daily, as feelings of disappointment can arise. You must convince yourself that financial considerations are not the primary focus; they are merely a component of the overall picture. While receiving such a sum is remarkable, it should not dominate your thoughts," Pant remarked.
My ideology of captaining a side doesn't change
Rishabh Pant humorously remarked that he would not experience any pressure as long as the franchise owner remains unaffected. "If the owner claims he feels no pressure, then I too will feel none," Pant stated with a laugh.
He succeeds KL Rahul as the captain of LSG, who led the franchise for three seasons since its establishment until the previous season. Pant has been associated with DC since 2016 and assumed the captaincy in 2021, guiding the team through all seasons except for 2023, during which he was sidelined due to recovery from a car accident.
"Indeed, this is a new team and a different structure, but my approach to leading a team remains consistent. As a cricketer, one is always striving to enhance their captaincy skills. By instilling confidence and trust in players, they can achieve remarkable feats. This is the philosophy we aim to adopt: to provide trust, maintain clear communication, and define the roles we envision for each player," he expressed.
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