'Muskuraiye, aap Lucknow ke naye nawab hain': Chopra to captain Pant

NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant has been appointed the captain of the

Lucknow Super Giants

(LSG) for

IPL 2025

after being acquired for a record Rs 27 crore at the auction. Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra described Pant’s rise in Lucknow as fitting for its newest ‘ruler’, dubbing him the "nawab of Lucknow."
On his YouTube channel, Chopra remarked, "Muskuraiye. Aap sirf Lucknow mein nahin, aap Lucknow ke naye nawab hain (Smile. You’re not just in Lucknow; you’re Lucknow’s new nawab). You will sit on that throne now."
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Chopra pointed out Pant’s immediate impact on the franchise, revealing that the former

Delhi Capitals

skipper played a key role in shaping LSG’s squad after his acquisition. "Rishabh had a lot of input in the team that was built, which is good. He spoke about what he wants to create here, and the owner and Rishabh are on the same page," Chopra said.

The franchise boasts a dynamic leadership group, with Pant joining forces with former pacer Zaheer Khan and RPSG Group chairman

Sanjiv Goenka

. Chopra highlighted Goenka’s extensive experience in sports, noting, "Sanjiv Goenka is the owner, and he has multiple teams. He has Durban’s Super Giants, had Rising Pune Super Giants, then came to Lucknow Super Giants, and also has a football team. So they know the business of sport."

Chopra also outlined some challenges Pant could face as captain, particularly with the team’s composition. "It’s an all-Indian bowling attack. It’s promising but entirely Indian. They have three left-handers in the middle, and all of them are mighty. Left is right, and then all three at the top are right-handers. So it will be interesting to see who would open and who would bat where," Chopra said.
Pant’s leadership debut for LSG has raised expectations, and fans are eager to see how the young captain will fare in the upcoming season.