Rishabh Pant might head back to Delhi in what’s shaping up as the IPL’s most dramatic swap yet. The Times of India says Lucknow are ready to release their ex-captain, despite spending ₹27 crore only twenty-four months ago. A shift like this hasn’t been seen before so soon after such a high-priced deal. What unfolds next could redraw how franchises value star players.

Left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav might trade places, heading from DC
to LSG. Talks between the teams are moving fast, so a bold shift could unfold soon – rare in the league’s history.

Rishabh Pant’s LSG stint fails to take off

Weeks after Pant left the LSG captaincy post, a poor IPL 2026 run, last-place finish included, the news surfaced. That auction move in 2025 still stings, when Sanjiv Goenka’s team shattered records, dropping Rs 27 crore on Pant, lifting him to priciest-ever status in league auctions.

Rishabh Pant left the Delhi Capitals following a split that followed years of shared history. His exit unfolded when the team chose not to keep him before the big player sale. Tension around game plans and where he fit in the setup reportedly played a part.

Still, things did not go as planned. With Rishabh Pant at the helm, LSG missed the playoffs in 2025 and again in 2026, raising questions about how much longer he might stay with the team.

Yet again, Kuldeep found things tough during IPL 2026 while playing for Delhi Capitals. Following years of strong performances, he took just ten wickets across twelve games, then vanished from the starting lineup for a stretch. For the first time ever in the tournament, his bowling leaked more than ten runs an over.

Delhi Capitals held on to Kuldeep at 13.25 crore before the 2025 mega auction kicked off. With Pant already pulling in 27 crores, stacking them together hits a total of 40.25 crores – no previous player exchange comes close. This shift flies past that noisy Samson-for-Jadeja move between Chennai and Rajasthan, once seen as huge.

Delhi Capitals held on to Kuldeep at 13.25 crore before the 2025 mega auction kicked off. With Pant already pulling in 27 crores, stacking them together hits a total of 40.25 crores – no previous player exchange comes close. This shift flies past that noisy Samson-for-Jadeja move between Chennai and Rajasthan, once seen as huge.