Pant's future at LSG in doubt; Pooran to survive shake-up

Rishabh Pant's woes may not be ending just yet. By voluntarily stepping down as Lucknow Super Giants captain, he may have temporarily silenced speculation over his future at the franchise, but that does not necessarily guarantee his place in the side for the next season. It may not be a surprise if he is eventually released by the management but Nicholas Pooran, another misfiring player of the side, may survive the axe.

At INR 27 crore he is not exactly value for money and his contribution is going to be debated over the coming months by the franchise's brainthrust. But indications are that Pant could eventually be released. Cricbuzz can reveal that is an option that is definitely on the LSG table because the thinking is that INR 27 crore is too high a price. The franchise, however, could consider bringing him back at a lower price in the auction.

With pragmatic professionals like Tom Moody, Justin Langer and Kane Williamson in the coaching setup, releasing Pant remains an imminent possibility. A formal decision has not yet been taken, but the thinking within the camp, it is understood, appears to be moving in the direction that there could be far better value for the price that Pant went for in the 2025 auction.

That Pant did not fire as a batter or as the skipper at LSG would be an understatement. Across two seasons and 28 games, he accumulated 581 runs at a strike rate of 135.74 with an average of 26.40. His win percentage as captain is meagre 35.71 with just 10 wins in 28 games. This year, the side finished at the bottom of the table with just four wins from 14 games, a win percentage of 28.5.

Earlier in the day, LSG announced that Pant is stepping down. "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," Moody, the franchise's director of cricket, said.

With the team finishing 10th in the table, an overhaul may be on the cards but Pooran, an INR 21-crore retention, may survive the potential purge. There has long been discussion within IPL circles that Pooran and Pant together account for INR 48 crore - close to 40 per cent of the purse - and their combined returns have not exactly justified that investment.

Pooran has scored 234 runs this season - not quite the returns expected of a player commanding such a high price tag. But the Trinidadian had a 500-plus season last year, amassing 524 runs, and the management may yet continue to show faith in the West Indian going into next season, something sources have indicated in no uncertain terms.