June 23, Kathmandu – Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has made a return to the Delhi Capitals. Through a player trade in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Pant rejoined Delhi while spinner Kuldeep Yadav moved to the Lucknow Super Giants. The IPL officially confirmed the swap. Delhi signed Pant for ₹15 crore, whereas Lucknow acquired Kuldeep for ₹13.5 crore.
Pant had previously represented Delhi from 2016 to 2024, during which he played a team-high 111 matches and captained the side in 43 games between 2021 and 2024. Although Pant was purchased by Lucknow for a record ₹27 crore in the 2025 mega auction, his performance fell short of expectations. He scored 269 runs in 2025 and 312 runs in 2026.
Under his captaincy, Lucknow finished seventh and tenth in consecutive seasons. Meanwhile, Kuldeep played four seasons with Delhi Capitals, participating in 65 matches, taking 72 wickets, and maintaining an economy rate of 8.38. However, the 2026 season was lackluster for Kuldeep, who took only 10 wickets with an economy rate of 10.30, marking the most expensive bowling of his 10-year IPL career. This trade, completed within a month of the conclusion of IPL 2026, allowed Delhi to bring back a familiar and impactful player while strengthening Lucknow’s bowling attack with Kuldeep’s experience.
