Pant steps down as LSG captain. Could Hardik be next in line?

Rishabh Pant has stepped down as captain of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), with the franchise confirming on Friday that it accepted his request to relinquish the role with immediate effect after another disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) season.

Pant’s exit comes after LSG endured a poor IPL 2026 campaign, finishing at the bottom of the points table and missing the playoffs for a second consecutive year. The wicketkeeper-batter, signed ahead of the 2025 season for a record Rs 27 crore fee, had been expected to lead Lucknow into title contention but instead oversaw two underwhelming seasons.

In a statement posted on X, LSG said Pant himself had approached the franchise seeking relief from captaincy responsibilities. “Rishabh approached the franchise with this request, and we have respectfully accepted it. These decisions are never easy. We are grateful for everything Rishabh has brought to this dressing room as captain. Our focus now is on the collective — rebuilding and restructuring to reach the best standards,” the franchise said.

The move marks one of the first major leadership changes following IPL 2026 and could be followed by others across the league.

Questions over captaincy have also surfaced at Mumbai Indians after another turbulent season under Hardik Pandya. Reports have suggested the five-time champions may be reassessing their leadership structure after crashing out of playoff contention. Hardik, who led Gujarat Titans to a title before returning to Mumbai in a high-profile move, has overseen a mixed tenure marked by a last-place finish in 2024, a playoff appearance in 2025 and another disappointing campaign this year.

Against that backdrop, LSG’s decision to accept Pant’s resignation appears part of a broader trend of franchises reconsidering leadership models after inconsistent results.

Pant’s own season reflected the uncertainty surrounding Lucknow’s campaign. He scored 312 runs in 14 matches at an average of 33.61 and a strike rate of 146.79 — an improvement on his 2025 numbers but still below expectations for one of the tournament’s most expensive acquisitions.

LSG repeatedly altered his role with the bat. Pant opened the innings in the season opener before shifting to no. 3 and later moving further down the order as the franchise searched for balance. The team’s performances failed to improve. Lucknow managed only four wins in 10 matches, while Pant frequently appeared subdued during post-match media interactions as pressure mounted on the side.

Director of cricket Tom Moody had hinted at a possible reset after LSG’s final game, acknowledging that leadership would come under review. “From a captaincy point of view, he’s found it challenging, and the results reflect that,” Moody said after the team’s seven-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings. "But certainly we haven’t lived up to the expectation or the standard that we expect of ourselves… it certainly looks like we’re needing to consider a reset.”

The season was also punctuated by speculation over internal dynamics within the Lucknow camp. At different points, Pant hinted that the support structure involved “too many coaches”, remarks that triggered discussion about decision-making and the dressing-room environment.

Attention will now turn to who succeeds him. Aiden Markram and Mitchell Marsh are understood to be among the leading contenders for the captaincy.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians too could face significant decisions in the months ahead if speculation around Hardik’s future gathers pace. With Rohit Sharma approaching the latter phase of his IPL career and Suryakumar Yadav enduring an inconsistent season, reports have even floated younger names such as Tilak Varma as potential long-term leadership options.

For LSG, however, the immediate task is clearer: rebuild after two failed seasons and determine whether a change in captaincy can revive a franchise that entered the Pant era with far greater expectations.