Pant Returns to Delhi as LSG and DC Complete Blockbuster Swap with Kuldeep

In one of the biggest trades in recent Indian Premier League history, Rishabh Pant is set to reunite with Delhi Capitals, while Kuldeep Yadav moves to Lucknow Super Giants in a high-profile player swap.

Pant, who spent nine seasons with Delhi between 2016 and 2024, had joined Lucknow for a record ₹27 crore ahead of IPL 2025. However, as part of this trade, he returns to Delhi on a significantly reduced salary of ₹15 crore, taking a substantial pay cut.

Kuldeep, meanwhile, joins Lucknow on his existing contract worth ₹13.5 crore, strengthening LSG’s spin attack without any salary revision.

The trade also impacts auction finances. Since Pant’s revised value is much lower than his previous deal, LSG gain a major purse boost for the next auction, while Delhi take a small salary-cap hit.

Both players endured underwhelming IPL 2026 campaigns. Pant managed 312 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate of 138.05, while captaining LSG to a last-place finish with only four wins in 14 matches. Following the season, he informed the franchise he would step down as captain.

Kuldeep also struggled by his standards for Delhi, picking up 10 wickets in 11 innings with an expensive economy of 10.29. Despite that dip, his long-term numbers for Delhi remain strong, with 72 wickets in 65 matches since 2022, making him a valuable acquisition for Lucknow.

The blockbuster exchange marks another major IPL trade involving a salary reduction, signaling how franchises are increasingly prioritizing squad balance and long-term strategy over marquee price tags.

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