Rishabh Pant’s decision to step down as Lucknow Super Giants captain after IPL 2026 has sparked fresh debate, but new reports suggest the move was months in the making. In fact, the wicketkeeper-batter reportedly tried to resign from the leadership role well before the season came to an end, only to be persuaded to continue by franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka.
LSG officially confirmed Pant’s resignation on May 29 after a disastrous IPL 2026 campaign that saw the franchise finish at the bottom of the points table. However, according to a report by India Today’s Nikhil Naz, Pant had already expressed his desire to relinquish the captaincy during the latter stages of the tournament when Lucknow’s playoff hopes were fading rapidly.
After a promising start to the season, where LSG won two of their opening three matches, the campaign quickly unravelled. A damaging sequence of six defeats left the team virtually out of playoff contention. Although Lucknow managed a couple of consolation victories towards the end, they became the first franchise to be officially eliminated from the playoff race.
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The disappointing season also marked the third consecutive year that LSG failed to qualify for the playoffs, a stark contrast to their first two IPL campaigns when they comfortably reached the knockout stage.
Pant’s leadership came under intense scrutiny throughout the season, but his struggles with the bat only added to the pressure. Signed for a record-breaking ₹27 crore ahead of IPL 2025, Pant arrived in Lucknow carrying enormous expectations. However, the returns have fallen well short of what the franchise had hoped for.
Rishabh Pant conveyed to management that he wants to leave captaincy in middle of the IPL only.
Sanjiv Goenka asked to him to continue, he didn’t want Pant to make a decison in hurry and panic.
At the season end, Pant again asked them to relieve him of captaincy duties. pic.twitter.com/PIolNS3tR2
— Riseup Pant (@riseup_pant17) May 30, 2026
In IPL 2025, Pant managed 269 runs in 14 matches, including a century and a half-century, while averaging 24. In IPL 2026, there was only a marginal improvement as he scored 312 runs in 14 games at an average of 28, registering just one fifty. Across two seasons for LSG, Pant accumulated 581 runs from 28 matches at an average of 26 and a strike rate of 136.
According to Naz, Pant first approached the management with his resignation when five matches still remained in the season. Goenka reportedly urged him not to make an emotional decision after a difficult campaign and encouraged him to continue leading the side. However, Pant remained unconvinced and revisited the matter multiple times before eventually making his final decision.
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The report claims that after discussions with the coaching staff and franchise leadership, Pant reiterated his wish to step down. This time, the owners accepted his request, bringing an end to a challenging two-year captaincy stint.
With Pant now out of the leadership role, Lucknow Super Giants face a crucial rebuilding phase ahead of IPL 2027, as they begin the search for a new captain capable of steering the franchise back into playoff contention.
