Rishabh Pant is reportedly set to take a massive salary hit to facilitate a return to Delhi Capitals, with the wicketkeeper-batter expected to move back from Lucknow Super Giants in a proposed IPL trade involving Kuldeep Yadav, according to Cricbuzz.
The proposed deal, which is understood to be with the BCCI for approval, could see Pant’s salary drop from INR 27 crore to around INR 15 crore. That means Pant is set to take an approximate pay cut of INR 12 crore, amounting to nearly 44.44% of his existing LSG contract.
The figure is significant because Pant’s INR 27 crore deal had become one of the biggest hurdles in any possible trade. A salary of that size is difficult for most franchises to absorb in a player-swap arrangement, especially without heavily disturbing their purse structure and squad balance. Pant lowering his financial expectations appears to have opened the door for Delhi Capitals to initiate the move.
Kuldeep Yadav, meanwhile, is expected to move in the opposite direction and join Lucknow Super Giants on his existing INR 13.25 crore deal. The swap would mark a homecoming of sorts for both players. Pant played his domestic cricket for Delhi and spent almost his entire IPL career with Delhi Capitals before moving away, while Kuldeep has strong Uttar Pradesh roots and would now join the Lucknow-based franchise.
Pant’s Delhi return gathers pace
Pant represented Delhi Capitals between 2016 and 2024, playing 111 matches for the franchise. He also captained DC in 43 matches across three seasons before being released ahead of the 2025 mega auction. His exit at the time had come after reported differences with the franchise management, but the leadership structure at DC is now expected to change, with JSW set to hold control of the franchise for the next two years.
That shift appears to have helped revive the possibility of Pant returning to familiar territory. Parth Jindal has long been seen as an admirer of Pant, and the move could give Delhi Capitals one of their most recognisable former players back in the squad.
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However, Pant is unlikely to return as captain immediately. Even if Delhi Capitals look at changes in leadership going forward, the current expectation is that Pant’s comeback will be centred more on his value as a wicketkeeper-batter than on a direct captaincy handover.
For Lucknow Super Giants, the move would signal a clear reset. Pant’s stint with LSG did not produce the desired results, and the franchise is believed to have been looking for a fresh direction. His exit had become increasingly likely after a disappointing campaign, with the leadership question also becoming central to LSG’s planning.
If approved, the deal would be one of the biggest trades in IPL history, not merely because of the names involved but because of the financial adjustment attached to it. Pant walking away from INR 12 crore to make the move possible underlines how strongly the trade has been pushed by all parties involved.
