When Lucknow Super Giants broke the bank in the IPL 2025 mega-auction to bag Rishabh Pant for a whooping sum of Rs 15 crore, the team’s owner Sanjeev Goenka had confidently asserted that the southpaw would play for the franchise for the next 15 years. The LSG owner and the franchise pinned their hopes on the talented star to turn around the fortunes of the the team, and even lead to them to their maiden IPL title. In fact, more than just one. However, little did anyone know that the relationship would last for just two seasons.
On Tuesday, it was confirmed that Rishabh was traded to his former team – the Delhi Capitals – after taking a pay cut of Rs 12 crore. This brought an end to Pant’s relations with the franchise after a tumultuous couple of seasons as the captain of the side. Following the trade, an video of Goenka making tall claims after securing the services of the southpaw in 2025 has gone viral on social media.
Goneka’s ’15 years’ claim on Pant resurfaces
Shorly after Pant’s trade to DC was confirmed, fans started to circulate an old video of Goenka claiming that Rishabh will continue to play for LSG for at least 12-15 years. Back then, the LSG owner had claimed that it was a journey of how the team could win six titles over the next decade and had even gone on to claim that people would compare Pant to captains like MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma who had led CSK and MI to five titles respectively.
“In my opinion, he will play for another 12 to 15 years. This is a journey of how to win five or six IPL titles over the next 15 years. Today, people talk about Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings as the most successful franchises. MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma are brilliant, undeniably brilliant. But mark my words, 10 years from now, people will speak about Mahi, Rohit, and Rishabh.” Goenka had said.
However, all this changed in just 2 years. Pant’s run as the Super Giants’ captain wasn’t a glorious one. In 2025, the team finished 7th on the points table, and in 2026, they sank to a new low as they finished at the rock-bottom of the points table. Pant was simply unable to fulfill the aspirations of the franchise and its owner to lead the team to their maiden trophy.
Such was the magnitude of LSG’s failure to reach the IPL 2026 playoffs, that Tom Moody had hinted at a change in leadership after the team was knocked out. Shortly after, Rishabh stepped down as the captain. Then, reports claimed that Pant had decided to quit captaincy mid-way through the season.
It is no secret that players have struggled to maintain cordial relations with LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka and the team management. Fans will very well remember the treatment meted out to MS Dhoni (at RPSG) and KL Rahul (at LSG) in the past when they were removed as captains. And now, Pant is the latest to join that list.
