IPL record-breaker Pant named Lucknow captain

Record-breaking wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been named captain of Indian Premier League team Lucknow Super Giants for the upcoming edition of the lucrative T20 tournament, the franchise said on Monday.

The 27-year-old set a new IPL record when he went to Lucknow for 270 million rupees ($3.2 million) in the auction in November.

🚨 EXCLUSIVE 🚨

In our exclusive interview, @LucknowIPL owner @DrSanjivGoenka has confirmed that @RishabhPant17 will captain the side in #IPL2025! 👏🏻#RishabhPant #LucknowSuperGiants #IPL2025 pic.twitter.com/PnTCiwy48k
— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) January 20, 2025

Pant, a flamboyant left-handed batsman, returned as captain of Delhi Capitals last season after 14 months away from elite cricket following a car crash.

But he parted ways with Delhi Capitals, who ended sixth in the 10-team table of the 2024 season.

"I see a born leader in Rishabh Pant. From my point of view, he will be probably the best captain IPL has seen," Sanjiv Goenka, owner of Lucknow, said in a special TV broadcast.

"Surely Rishabh Pant will play for at least 14-15 years for us, we hope at least five IPL titles in these years."

Pant has played 150 internationals for India across three formats, scoring 5 028 runs, including seven centuries.

The 18th edition of the tournament will begin on 21 March with Kolkata hosting the opener and the final on 25 May, according to reports in Indian media.

The IPL is a huge earner for Indian cricket and the tournament makes more than $11 billion for the economy each year.

The pioneering IPL helped make T20 cricket hugely popular, spawning copycat events worldwide.