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India's star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant bid an emotional goodbye to Delhi Capitals (DC) as he was roped in by Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for a whopping Rs 27 crore in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. Pant made his IPL debut as a teenager at Rs 1.90 crore. Delhi exercised their Right to Match (RTM) card for Pant but LSG increased the bid to Rs 27 crore making him the most expensive player in IPL history.
"The journey with Delhi Capitals has been nothing short of amazing. From the thrills on the field to the moments off it. I've grown in ways I never imagined. I came here as a teenager and we grew together over the last nine years," Pant wrote in a special note in.
"What made this journey all worthwhile is you. The fans...You've embraced me, cheered for me and stood by me in one of the toughest phases of my life.
"As I move on, I carry your love and support in my heart. I'll look forward to entertain you whenever I take the field. Thank you for being my family and making this journey so special," Pant concluded.
Pant made his IPL debut in the 2016 edition. He had his best season with the bat for DC in 2018 scoring 684 runs from 14 innings at an average of 52.61 including a century and five fifties. His strike rate was 173.60.
On his return to competitive cricket after recovering from the unfortunate car accident, the southpaw scored 446 runs from 13 innings at an average of 40.54 including three half-centuries. His strike rate was 155.40. Pant's absence from the side due to a ban in a crucial match against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) led to DC missing out on IPL 2024 playoffs spot.
Overall, he has scored 3,284 runs from DC from 111 games at an average of 35.31 including one century and 18 fifties.
LSG's captaincy candidates
Meanwhile, LSG are yet to announce their captain for the next season. Alongside Pant, West Indies wicketkeeper-batter Nicholas Pooran, South Africa captain Aiden Markram, Australia captain Mitchell Marsh are other captaincy candidates. However, Pant is highly likely to lead them in IPL 2025.
