Sanjiv Goenka, owner of the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), revealed that they have decided between Rishabh Pant and Nicholas Pooran as their captain for IPL 2025, with the official announcement to be made soon. He also explained how the franchise determined the final bid for Pant in the IPL 2025 auction.
LSG retained Pooran for ₹21 crore before the auction and later acquired Pant for ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history, at the mega auction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
In a video on his YouTube channel ‘Aakash Chopra,’ former India opener Aakash Chopra suggested that the LSG captain is likely to be a wicketkeeper-batter and asked Goenka whether it would be Pant or a surprise choice.
“People get surprised very quickly. According to me, I don’t give surprises. It has been decided but we will announce it in the next few days,” Goenka replied (3:50).
Goenka was questioned about the rationale behind their final bid of ₹27 crore for Pant.
“They (Delhi Capitals) bid for Shreyas (Iyer) till ₹26.50 crore. That means for their No. 1 player, they had that kind of a budget, and knowing Parth’s (Jindal) extreme fondness for Rishabh, I felt they might spend a little more on him than they would on Shreyas. So that is why two bid amounts extra,” he responded.
The Punjab Kings (PBKS) outbid the Delhi Capitals (DC) to secure Shreyas Iyer for ₹26.75 crore. DC attempted to use the Right to Match (RTM) card for Rishabh Pant when LSG’s bid reached ₹20.75 crore but chose not to match it after Lucknow raised the bid to ₹27 crore.
“Zak, JL, and the captain will make that decision”- Sanjiv Goenka on Pant opening for LSG in IPL 2025
In the same video, Aakash Chopra questioned Sanjiv Goenka about Rishabh Pant opening for LSG in IPL 2025.
“We decided that we had to make our middle order strong and have an Indian core. However, auctions don’t go exactly the way you plan it. We made a very big go for Jos Buttler but we fell one or two bid amounts short. Zak (Zaheer Khan) JL (Justin Langer), and the captain will decide it,” he replied (4:30).
RPSG chairperson Sanjiv Goenka mentioned a few opening options but noted that mentor Zaheer Khan, head coach Justin Langer, and the captain will make the final decision.
“Options include Markram and Marsh, Marsh and Pant, or Markram and Pant for opening. The decision on whether Pant bats at No. 2 or No. 3 is up to them. Zak, Langer, and the captain will meet to decide, and I will fully support whatever they choose,” Goenka said.
Pant, who batted at No. 3 for India in the 2024 T20 World Cup, has mostly played in the middle order in the IPL. However, the explosive wicketkeeper-batter has experience opening, having done so for India in the 2016 Under-19 World Cup and for Delhi in domestic cricket early in his career.
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