Rishabh Pant reveals the name of the only franchise he was not interested to join in IPL 2025

After being appointed captain of the Lucknow Super Giants, star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant revealed that he had no interest in joining the Punjab Kings (PBKS). Released by the Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction, Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the tournament, securing a massive Rs 27 crore deal with LSG. This broke the previous record set by Shreyas Iyer, who was bought by PBKS for Rs 26.75 crore earlier in the day. Pant mentioned that, given PBKS had a budget of Rs 110 crore, he felt relieved when Iyer was picked by the franchise instead.

In an interaction with Star Sports, Pant shared, ‘From the inside, I had just one major concern – Punjab. Their budget was so massive that you could hardly make a move. They had Rs. 112 crore, while the second-highest was Rs. 82 crore. When Shreyas joined Punjab, I felt a sense of relief because it meant I could join LSG.'”

Pant’s bidding saw competition from LSG and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), with the latter eventually pulling out. Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) also entered the fray, hoping to strengthen their explosive batting lineup. Delhi Capitals (DC) attempted to use their ‘Right To Match’ card but could not match the bid from LSG, who broke the bank for Pant, surpassing Iyer’s value.

The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter is a key player for India across all formats and is known for his energy on the field. While Pant has proven himself on the big stage in Test cricket, his T20 game is also impressive. Though his T20I stats show 1,209 runs in 76 matches at an average of 23.25, with a strike rate nearing 128 and just three fifties, his overall T20 numbers are much more significant. He has scored 5,022 runs in 202 T20 matches at an average of 31.78 and a strike rate above 145, with two centuries and 25 fifties.

Pant has been with the Delhi Capitals throughout his IPL career since 2016, amassing 3,284 runs in 110 matches at an average of 35.31, including a century and 18 fifties. He captained the team starting in 2021, leading them to the playoffs that same season.

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