Rishabh Pant made headlines during the IPL 2025 auction when the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) secured his services for a record-breaking INR 27 crore, making him the most expensive player in the history of the tournament. However, things didn’t go as planned for the southpaw or his franchise. LSG failed to qualify for the playoffs, and Pant’s personal form dipped as he managed to score just 269 runs in 14 matches.
Despite the disappointing season, recent developments suggest that Pant’s stint with LSG is far from over. As all IPL franchises prepare to submit their retention lists by November 15 (Saturday), LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka has dropped a major hint about Pant’s future with the team.
Sanjiv Goenka Hints at Retaining Rishabh Pant
In a recent post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Sanjiv Goenka shared a photo featuring himself alongside Rishabh Pant, director of cricket Tom Moody, head coach Justin Langer, and bowling coach Bharat Arun. His caption read:
“IPL retention talks for @LucknowIPL are underway. Delighted to have @TomMoodyCricket on board, bringing immense experience and strategic insight. Great discussion with @RishabhPant17, Justin Langer, and Bharat Arun as we plan for the season ahead.”
This post strongly suggests that Pant remains an integral part of LSG’s plans for the upcoming season, despite his below-par performance in IPL 2025.
IPL 2026 Auction and Retention Deadline
All ten IPL franchises are expected to submit their player retention lists by November 15, after which the BCCI will announce the official date for the IPL 2026 auction. While the exact venue is yet to be confirmed, there is growing speculation about whether the auction will be held in India or abroad.
With Sanjiv Goenka’s latest post, it appears Rishabh Pant will continue to don the LSG colors in the next edition, as the franchise looks to rebuild and aim for a stronger comeback in IPL 2026.
