Aakash Chopra explains why Lucknow Super Giants have gained more from Rishabh Pant-Kuldeep Yadav trade

Table of Contents

The IPL transfer window witnessed one of the biggest moves in recent memory as Rishabh Pant completed a switch from Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) to Delhi Capitals (DC). Pant, who was purchased by LSG for a record ₹27 crore at the IPL 2025 auction, will now represent Delhi for ₹15 crore, while Kuldeep Yadav heads in the opposite direction on his existing ₹13.5 crore contract.

The trade has sparked widespread debate among fans and experts, with many discussing which franchise has emerged stronger from the deal. Former India opener Aakash Chopra recently shared his views on the transfer and explained why he feels Lucknow have gained more from the exchange.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra acknowledged that Pant’s move involved a substantial reduction in salary and highlighted just how significant the difference was.

“If you were thinking about pay cuts, layoffs, and limited job opportunities in your life, just think about Rishabh Pant. A guy was earning ₹27 crore and will earn only 15 now. One gets slightly surprised while saying only 15, but only 15 because he was at ₹27 crore. It means a pay cut of ₹12 crore. People are not able to earn as much in their entire life,” Chopra remarked.

The former cricketer then explained that Pant’s presence had complicated Lucknow’s batting combinations over the last two seasons. According to Chopra, the franchise struggled to find an ideal position for the wicketkeeper-batter because of the number of top-order and overseas batting options already available in the squad.

“I genuinely feel that Lucknow have benefited more. Their batting order wasn’t getting settled because all four of their overseas players were batters, and then among the Indian batters, they had Rishabh Pant, Ayush Badoni, and Mukul Choudhary. So you weren’t able to bat him before No. 5, and if they tried to bat him before No. 5, an overseas batter had to go down, and the combination was not getting set,” Chopra observed.

Also READ: 5 players Delhi Capitals might release ahead of IPL 2027

While Chopra acknowledged that Pant’s return would undoubtedly strengthen Delhi Capitals, he admitted that he remains uncertain about where the left-hander fits into their batting lineup. The analyst noted that DC already possess several batting options, including Nitish Rana, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Sameer Rizvi and Ashutosh Sharma. As a result, he questioned whether Pant’s arrival addresses a major issue within the squad.

“From Delhi’s point of view, I am still intrigued as to where he would bat because they have many opening options, Nitish Rana had started doing well at No. 3, and then they have a good middle order in Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Sameer Rizvi, and Ashutosh Sharma,” Chopra said.

He further emphasized that replacing a bowler of Kuldeep’s quality will not be straightforward for the Capitals. Chopra described Kuldeep’s acquisition as a major boost for LSG, highlighting that quality Indian wrist-spinners remain one of the rarest commodities in franchise cricket. He even suggested that Lucknow could make further changes to their overseas setup in the future, with the arrival of Kuldeep helping them achieve better squad balance heading into IPL 2027.

Also READ: Is Yuvraj Singh set to join Delhi Capitals? Reports suggest major coaching reshuffle ahead of IPL 2027