Rishabh Pant returns to Delhi Capitals as Kuldeep Yadav heads to Lucknow Super Giants in blockbuster IPL trade

After leading Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for two seasons (2025 and 2026), Rishabh Pant has been traded back to his former IPL franchise, Delhi Capitals, for a revised fee of INR 15 crore.

Pant's return to Delhi Capitals witnesses the arrival of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav at Lucknow Super Giants.

Kuldeep will join Lucknow Super Giants at his existing IPL fee of INR 13.50 crore. Kuldeep had joined Delhi Capitals in 2022 and claimed 72 wickets in 65 games for them.

On the other hand, Pant aggregated 581 runs for Lucknow Super Giants in 28 games across two seasons of the IPL. He had played 111 games for Delhi Capitals before coming to Lucknow. He had played his part in helping Delhi Capitals reach the final of the IPL in 2020, scoring 343 runs at an average just over 30.

The southpaw remains the leading run-getter for Delhi Capitals. He has amassed 3284 runs for the franchise at a strike rate of 148.93 and an average of 35.31.

The adjustment to Rishabh Pant’s fee directly impacts both franchises’ auction purses. With Pant’s current valuation compared to Kuldeep’s, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will see INR 13.75 crore added to their purse (INR 27 crore minus Kuldeep’s INR 13.25 crore). On the other hand, Delhi Capitals (DC) will have INR 1.25 crore deducted from their purse ahead of the next auction.

This isn’t the first time a high‑profile player has had to endure a pay cut during an Indian Premier League trade. The dynamics of franchise cricket often mean that even the biggest names are not immune to financial adjustments when swaps take place.

A notable example came when veteran allrounder Ravindra Jadeja was involved in another high-profile trade. Jadeja, along with Sam Curran, was swapped by Chennai Super Kings (CSK) for Sanju Samson with Rajasthan Royals (RR). Despite being one of CSK’s most trusted performers, Jadeja found himself on the receiving end of a reduced paycheck.

CSK had retained him for a hefty INR 18 crore for the 2025 season, underlining his stature as one of the premier allrounders in the league. But following the trade, Rajasthan Royals offered him INR 14 crore for the 2026 season, effectively slashing his salary by INR 4 crore.

The episode highlighted the unpredictable nature of IPL trades. Even established stars like Jadeja, with years of proven match‑winning performances, can see their market value fluctuate depending on team strategies, squad balance, and auction dynamics. It serves as a reminder that in the IPL, reputation alone doesn’t guarantee financial security; timing also plays a big role.