Rishabh Pant Returns to Delhi Capitals with Steep Salary Cut in Major IPL Trade

Rishabh Pant has returned to Delhi Capitals following a significant salary reduction in a major Indian Premier League trade, with his new contract valued at 15 crores compared to the 27 crores he earned with Lucknow Super Giants. The trade saw Kuldeep Yadav, Delhi's leading spinner, move to Lucknow Super Giants in exchange, with Kuldeep receiving 13.50 crores—slightly higher than his previous 13.25 crores with Delhi. The transaction was announced through the IPL Governing Council and represents one of the largest salary cuts in IPL history for a premier player.

Pant's departure from Lucknow and return to Delhi marks a dramatic reversal after just two seasons. During the 2025 and 2026 IPL campaigns, Pant struggled to justify his record-breaking 27-crore contract, scoring 269 runs in 2025 and 312 runs in 2026. As Lucknow's captain, he faced criticism both for his batting performance and leadership, with the team finishing at the bottom of the 2026 IPL standings and winning only 4 of 14 matches. His strike rate of 138.05 and average of around 24 runs per innings fell short of expectations for a player of his caliber.

Kuldeep Yadav's move to Lucknow comes after a similarly disappointing 2026 season with Delhi. The left-arm wrist spinner took only 10 wickets in 11 innings with an economy rate of 10.29, a significant decline from his earlier performances. Since joining Delhi in 2022, Kuldeep had established himself as one of the IPL's premier bowlers, claiming 72 wickets across 65 matches with an economy rate of 8.24. The financial arrangement works in Lucknow's favor, as the difference between Pant's 27 crores and Kuldeep's 13.50 crores leaves them with approximately 13.75 crores in additional purse for future auctions.

Pant's reduced contract represents a humbling return for the wicketkeeper-batter, who previously captained Delhi Capitals for four seasons from 2021 to 2024 and played 111 matches for the franchise since 2016—more than any other player. His 12-crore salary reduction highlights the IPL's performance-based dynamics, following precedent set by Ravindra Jadeja's move from Chennai Super Kings to Rajasthan Royals at a lower rate. The trade underscores the league's willingness to reassess player valuations based on recent form, regardless of their previous star status.