Rishabh Pant IPL captaincy record tells the story of two very different chapters. He led Delhi Capitals in 43 matches from 2021 to 2024 and won 24 of them, a win percentage of 55.81. He then moved to Lucknow Super Giants for the 2025 and 2026 seasons and captained them in 28 matches, winning only 10, a win percentage of 35.71.
Pant became one of the youngest captains in IPL history when he took charge of Delhi in 2021 at the age of 23, after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out with a shoulder injury. In his very first season, he took Delhi to the top of the points table. But he never won the IPL trophy as a captain. Across six seasons of leadership, his overall record reads 71 matches, 34 wins and 37 losses. After two poor seasons with Lucknow, he stepped down as their captain and returned to Delhi Capitals in a trade deal in June 2026.
Rishabh Pant IPL Captaincy Record Overview
Pant has captained two franchises across six IPL seasons. His record with Delhi was strong. His record with Lucknow was poor. Here is the full summary of his time as a captain.
| Team | Matches | Won | Lost | Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delhi Capitals (2021 to 2024) | 43 | 24 | 19 | 55.81 |
| Lucknow Super Giants (2025 to 2026) | 28 | 10 | 18 | 35.71 |
| Overall | 71 | 34 | 37 | 47.89 |
IPL titles won as captain: 0. Playoff qualifications as captain: 1, with Delhi in 2021. Pant missed the entire 2023 season because he was recovering from a car accident.
Season by Season Record
Each season under Pant tells its own story. The 2021 campaign was his best. The 2026 campaign was his worst.
| Season | Team | Matches | Won | Lost | League Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Delhi Capitals | 16 | 10 | 6 | 1st, lost both playoff games |
| 2022 | Delhi Capitals | 14 | 7 | 7 | 5th |
| 2023 | Did not play | 0 | 0 | 0 | Missed season after car accident |
| 2024 | Delhi Capitals | 13 | 7 | 6 | 6th, missed one game through suspension |
| 2025 | Lucknow Super Giants | 14 | 6 | 8 | 7th |
| 2026 | Lucknow Super Giants | 14 | 4 | 10 | 10th, last place |
In 2021, Delhi won 10 of their 14 league games and finished first, then lost Qualifier 1 to Chennai and Qualifier 2 to Kolkata. In 2024, Pant was suspended for one match against Bengaluru for a slow over rate offence, and Axar Patel led Delhi in his place. Delhi lost that game.
Record History
Pant got the Delhi captaincy by accident in 2021. Shreyas Iyer injured his shoulder before the season, and the 23 year old wicketkeeper was handed the job. He handled it well. Delhi topped the table with 20 points from 14 league games. They fell short in the playoffs, losing both knockout games, but Pant had shown he could lead.
The 2022 season was average. Delhi finished fifth with 7 wins from 14 games. In December 2022, Pant suffered serious injuries in a car accident and missed the whole 2023 season. He came back in 2024 and was Delhi top scorer with 446 runs, but the team finished sixth and Delhi decided to release him before the 2025 mega auction.
Lucknow Super Giants bought him for Rs 27 crore at the 2025 mega auction, the most expensive buy in IPL history, and named him captain. The move did not work. Lucknow finished seventh in 2025 and last in 2026, winning only four games. Pant scored only 269 runs in 2025 and 312 runs in 2026, both well below his usual standard. He stepped down as captain after the 2026 season.
In June 2026, Pant returned to Delhi Capitals in a trade deal. Kuldeep Yadav moved to Lucknow in the same deal. Pant took a pay cut to Rs 15 crore to make the move happen. You can read how Lucknow performed across seasons and the IPL 2027 retention rules that shaped these squad changes.
What This Record Tells Us
A win percentage of 55.81 with Delhi shows Pant was a good captain in the right setup. He had a settled squad and a clear role, and he got results. His 35.71 percentage with Lucknow shows the other side. A captain cannot carry a struggling squad alone, and the pressure of the Rs 27 crore price tag made things worse.
His batting also dropped as a captain at Lucknow. He scored about 1,205 runs at an average of 35.44 during his Delhi captaincy years. At Lucknow, he managed only 269 and 312 runs in two seasons. A captain who is struggling with the bat finds it harder to lead from the front.
Among long serving IPL captains, Pant stands out for starting very young and for the sharp contrast between his two stints. At 28, he still has time to add to this record, and his return to Delhi gives him a fresh start. But 71 matches as captain without a trophy means this record is still missing its biggest line.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many IPL matches has Rishabh Pant captained?
Rishabh Pant has captained 71 IPL matches: 43 for Delhi Capitals from 2021 to 2024 and 28 for Lucknow Super Giants in 2025 and 2026.
What is Rishabh Pant win percentage as IPL captain?
His overall win percentage is 47.89. It was 55.81 with Delhi Capitals and 35.71 with Lucknow Super Giants. See how his numbers compare with other long term leaders in our Shubman Gill IPL captaincy record article.
Has Rishabh Pant won the IPL as captain?
No. He has not won the IPL trophy as a captain. His only playoff appearance as captain came in 2021, when Delhi lost both knockout games.
Which IPL teams has Rishabh Pant captained?
He captained Delhi Capitals from 2021 to 2024, missing the 2023 season through injury. He then captained Lucknow Super Giants in 2025 and 2026 before stepping down.
Why did Pant leave Delhi Capitals in 2024?
Delhi released him ahead of the 2025 mega auction. Lucknow Super Giants then bought him for Rs 27 crore, the most expensive buy in IPL history, and made him their captain.
Why did Pant step down as Lucknow captain?
After two seasons without reaching the playoffs, including a last place finish in 2026 with only four wins, he stepped down. Lucknow then traded him back to Delhi in June 2026.
Is Rishabh Pant the Delhi Capitals captain for IPL 2027?
He returned to Delhi Capitals in a June 2026 trade deal, but the franchise has not officially announced its captain for IPL 2027. That decision is not officially confirmed yet.
How many runs did Rishabh Pant score as IPL captain?
He scored about 1,205 runs at an average of 35.44 during his Delhi captaincy. For Lucknow, he scored 269 runs in 2025 and 312 runs in 2026.
Statistics updated through: 18 October 2026
