Rishabh Pant

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Lore & Background

Pant became the most expensive player in the history of the Indian Premier League when he was bought by the Lucknow Super Giants in the 2025 league auction. He was a member of the Indian team that won the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy. He was the vice-captain of the India U19 team that was runner-up at the 2016 U19 Cricket World Cup. He made his T20I debut for India in January 2017, his Test debut in August 2018, and his ODI debut in October 2018. He holds the record for most sixes hit by an Indian batter in Test cricket, and the third most overall. In June 2022, Pant was named as the Indian captain for the T20I series against South Africa, after the designated captain KL Rahul was ruled out of the series due to an injury.

In Their Own Story

The narrative of Rishabh Pant is one of rapid ascension and record-breaking performances. He made his T20I debut for India on 1 February 2017 against England, becoming the youngest player to do so at 19 years and 120 days. His Test debut followed in August 2018 against England, where he became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a century on English soil. In January 2019, during a Test against Australia, he made history as the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a Test century in Australia. Leadership roles arrived early; in June 2022, after KL Rahul was ruled out due to injury, Pant captained India in a T20I series against South Africa at age 24 years and 248 days, becoming the second-youngest captain. His international career culminated as a key member of the Indian teams that won the 2024 T20 World Cup and the 2025 Champions Trophy.

Reader's Guide

Pant was born on 4 October 1997 in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. At age 12, he trained at the Sonnet Cricket Academy under Tarak Sinha. He made his first-class debut on 22 October 2015 and his List A debut the next month. In the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy, he scored 308 runs in an innings, becoming the third-youngest Indian to score a triple century in first-class cricket. On 8 November 2016, he scored the fastest century in the Ranji Trophy, from 48 balls. In February 2017, he was named Delhi's captain for the 2016–17 Vijay Hazare Trophy. On 14 January 2018, he scored the second-fastest century in a Twenty20 match, making 100 from 32 balls. In the IPL, he was purchased by Delhi Daredevils ahead of the 2016 season. He scored an unbeaten 128 from 63 balls against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018, the then highest individual score by an Indian in IPL history. In March 2021, he was named captain of Delhi Capitals for the 2021 IPL after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out due to injury. He was retained as captain for the 2022 season. In 2024, Delhi Capitals parted ways with Pant and released him in auction. Lucknow Super Giants bought Pant for a record 27 crores in the auction, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. The owner announced Pant as captain for the 2025 IPL season. He scored his second IPL century in 2025 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. After a poor IPL 2026 both as captain and player, Pant resigned as captain. In international cricket, he made his T20I debut on 1 February 2017, becoming the youngest player to debut for India in a T20I at age 19 years 120 days. He made his Test debut on 18 August 2018 against England, and scored his maiden Test century on 11 September 2018 against England, becoming the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a Test century in England. He made his ODI debut on 21 October 2018 against the West Indies. In December 2018, during the first Test against Australia, Pant took eleven catches, the most by a wicketkeeper for India in a Test match. In January 2019, during the fourth Test against Australia, he became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test century in Australia. In June 2019, he was called up to India's 2019 Cricket World Cup squad as a replacement for Shikhar Dhawan. In September 2019, he became the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to affect fifty dismissals in Test cricket. In January 2021, he became the fastest India

Did You Know?

• Pant scored an 18-ball fifty against Nepal in the 2016 Under-19 Cricket World Cup, the fastest at that level.
• He scored 308 runs in an innings in the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy, becoming the third-youngest Indian to score a triple century in first-class cricket.
• He took 11 catches in a Test match against Australia in December 2018, the most by an Indian wicketkeeper in a Test.

Rising from Humble Beginnings

Born into a Kumaoni family in Haridwar, Uttarakhand, Pant's early life required immense sacrifice. He began traveling with his mother to Delhi at age 12 for weekend training sessions under Tarak Sinha at the Sonnet Cricket Academy. Without suitable housing, they stayed at a Gurdwara in Moti Bagh. Although mentors suggested switching to Rajasthan, he remained in Delhi. His breakthrough came during a U-19 match against Assam where he scored 35 and then 150, a knock he deemed the most important of his career. On 1 February 2016, he hit an 18-ball fifty against Nepal, the fastest at that level in the Under-19 World Cup. His father, Rajendra Pant, passed away from cardiac arrest on 6 April 2017.

Domestic Dominance and Records

Pant made his first-class debut on 22 October 2015. In the 2016–17 Ranji Trophy against Maharashtra, he scored 308 runs in an innings, becoming the third-youngest Indian to score a triple century. On 8 November 2016, he recorded the fastest Ranji Trophy century (48 balls) against Jharkhand. In February 2017, at age 19, he was named Delhi's captain for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, succeeding Gautam Gambhir. His T20 domestic prowess was highlighted on 14 January 2018, when he scored a century off 32 balls against Himachal Pradesh, the second-fastest in Twenty20 history.

International Breakthrough and Captaincy

Pant debuted in T20Is on 1 February 2017 against England. His Test debut was on 18 August 2018 against England, where he became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a century abroad. On 11 September 2018, he scored his maiden Test century in that series. In December 2018 against Australia, he took eleven catches in a match, an Indian record for a wicket-keeper. By January 2019, he became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a Test century in Australia. He was named captain of India's T20I squad against South Africa in June 2022 after KL Rahul's injury, leading at age 24 years and 248 days. He was part of the squads that won the 2024 T20 World Cup and 2025 Champions Trophy.

IPL Stardom and Leadership Evolution

Bought by Delhi Daredevils in 2016, Pant scored an unbeaten 128 against Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2018. He captained Delhi Capitals in the 2021 and 2022 seasons after Shreyas Iyer's injury. In the 2024 auction, he was released by Delhi and bought by Lucknow Super Giants for ₹27 crore, making him the most expensive player in IPL history. Appointed captain on 21 January for the 2025 season, he scored a century against Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Following a poor 2026 campaign as both captain and player, he resigned from his leadership position.