AB de Villiers said Rishabh Pant returned to Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2027 due to disappointment with Lucknow Super Giants management. The former batsman said Pant’s post-match interview revealed that there were differences of opinion between the wicketkeeper-batsman and the LSG owners and coaching staff.
Rishabh Pant will rejoin Delhi Capitals in exchange for wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav. Ahead of the IPL 2027 season. The southpaw accepted a pay cut, signing for ₹15 crore. Lucknow Supergiants retained him for ₹27 crore, but the move failed to bring the success that Pant or the franchise had hoped for.
There were already signs of his disappointment – AB de Villiers on Rishabh Pant
AB de Villiers said that Rishabh Pant looked disappointed during the IPL 2026 season. The former Royal Challengers Bangalore star felt that the pressure was not only due to the team’s poor results but also from the LSG management and coaching staff.
De Villiers said on his YouTube channel, “It’s no surprise after this season and watching some of his post-match interviews, there were already signs of him being frustrated and probably also frustrated with the ownership and coaching staff. That’s why he’s returning to DC.”
Rishabh Pant had a disappointing IPL 2026 season with the Super Giants. He scored 312 runs in 13 innings at an average of 28.36 and strike rate of 138.05. The team struggled to produce consistent results and finished at the bottom of the table.
It is also interesting how Rishabh Pant skipped… – AB de Villiers
AB de Villiers also raised questions on the changes taking place in Delhi Capitals before IPL 2027. The franchise has handed over operational control to JSW Group for the next two years under its rotation agreement with co-owner GMR Sports.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly returns as director of cricket, while Yuvraj Singh has joined as batting coach. De Villiers said that frequent changes in management and coaching staff make it difficult for players to settle down and perform with confidence.
De Villiers said, “Sourav Ganguly has now joined DC as director of cricket, Yuvraj is also there as batting coach, with Pant returning. So we will see the dynamics with that. I think it is a bit of a bummer, this whole ownership change, coaching staff coming and going, it is really difficult for the players to react to it and keep a positive mindset with all these changes.”
He added, “It’s also interesting how Pant left the two-year GMR cycle. JSW is coming back now, we’ll see how they proceed with their two-year ownership. It’s all confusing, you know, I’m not a big fan of it.”
Rishabh Pant returns to Delhi Capitals after a successful first stint
Rishabh Pant started his IPL career with Delhi Capitals in 2016, when the franchise signed him for ₹1.9 crore. He spent nine seasons with the team, becoming a key player for the franchise and later taking over as captain.
The left-handed batsman is the highest run-scorer of Delhi Capitals. He scored 3,284 runs in 110 innings at an average of 35.31 and a strike rate of 148.93, including one century and 15 half-centuries during his first spell with the franchise.
His best IPL season came in 2018 when he scored 684 runs in 14 matches at an average of 52.61 and a strike rate of 173.60. He also recorded his highest IPL score of 128 not out during that campaign.
Pant also had success as captain and led Delhi Capitals to 23 wins in 43 matches. His best season as captain came in 2021, when Delhi topped the points table before losing in the playoffs.
