Is Rishabh Pant leaving LSG? His cryptic post just set Twitter on fire

Lucknow Super Giants finished with the wooden spoon after managing just eight points from 14 matches in IPL 2026. Following a hugely disappointing campaign, the franchise is expected to undergo a major overhaul. Global Director of Cricket Tom Moody also admitted that the team failed to live up to expectations and hinted that serious discussions regarding leadership could take place in the coming months. Despite entering the season with high hopes, LSG endured one of the worst campaigns in their history, winning only four matches and finishing in the bottom two of the points table.

After Lucknow’s seven-wicket defeat to Punjab Kings in their final home league game, remarks from within the franchise further intensified speculation surrounding Rishabh Pant’s future. Reports and fan discussions have suggested that the Indian keeper-batter might not be retained for the upcoming season.

The situation gained even more attention when Pant shared a series of photos on Instagram, along with a cryptic caption in which he wrote, “truly grateful to have shared this journey with such incredible people.” The post quickly went viral, sparking fresh controversy and widespread speculation among fans regarding his future with the franchise.

The three Words in Pant's Instagram caption that started everything

Lucknow Super Giants ended their IPL 2026 campaign with the wooden spoon after winning just four matches in 14 games. Under Rishabh Pant’s captaincy, the franchise managed only 10 victories in 28 matches across two seasons, making it one of the most disappointing phases in the team’s short IPL history.

After the loss against the Punjab Kings, Pant shared a series of photos on Instagram featuring several memorable moments from his time with LSG. Interestingly, the post also included pictures from the previous season, which caught the attention of fans online. Many supporters felt the post carried an emotional tone and hinted that the wicketkeeper-batter could be preparing for a fresh start ahead of IPL 2027.

See also -Watch: Rishabh Pant's ‘F**king good team’ slip of tongue after LSG’s Playoff exit — Was this his emotional goodbye to IPL 2026?

Speaking about the season, Pant wrote:

“Not the season we hoped for and definitely not the way we wanted to finish. Personally, there have been a lot of learnings for me, but through every high and low, one thing that never changed was the love and support from all of you. 💙

A big thank you to the entire LSG family — the players, coaches, support staff, management and everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes every single day. A lot of hard work often goes unnoticed, and I am truly grateful to have shared this journey with such incredible people.

And a big salute to all the fans of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and across India. Thank you for standing by us throughout. Your energy, passion and belief meant everything to us and kept us going every single time we stepped onto the field. 💙 We take the lessons and keep growing.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rishabh Pant (@rishabpant)

The phrase “grateful to have shared this journey” quickly became the biggest talking point on Twitter, with many fans interpreting it as a possible farewell message to the franchise.

Tom Moody said one word at the press conference. LSG fans know what it means

Following Lucknow Super Giants’ defeat to Punjab Kings, Global Director of Cricket Tom Moody openly admitted that captain Rishabh Pant struggled with the pressure of leadership during IPL 2026. Moody suggested that the burden of captaincy may have also affected Pant’s batting performances as LSG endured one of the worst seasons in franchise history.

“From a captaincy point of view, he’s found it challenging, obviously, and the results reflect that. You do have to wonder whether that pressure is also reflected in his performances with the bat,” Moody said during the post-match press conference. He further added that the franchise would now take time to reflect on the season and make “considered decisions” regarding the future leadership structure of the team.

See also -Will Rishabh Pant lead LSG in IPL 2027? Tom Moody signals leadership reset after back-to-back playoff misses

Moody’s strongest statement came when he hinted at the possibility of a major rebuild within the franchise. “We haven’t lived up to the expectations or the standards we set for ourselves. When it comes to the leadership of the franchise, it’s certainly something we will be taking very serious consideration of moving forward. It certainly looks like we need to consider a reset,” he stated. The comments immediately intensified speculation surrounding Pant’s future with the franchise.

The development comes just days after a PTI report claimed that Pant had emerged as the biggest fall guy for LSG’s disappointing performances across the last two seasons and that franchise owner Sanjiv Goenka had reportedly lost patience with the star batter. The report also mentioned that Pant appeared to be “carrying a thousand-ton burden on his shoulders,” a point that Moody indirectly echoed in his remarks. Across two seasons with LSG, Pant scored only 581 runs at a strike rate of 135.74. Moody’s comments also arrived shortly after Pant lost India’s Test vice-captaincy to KL Rahul and was dropped from the ODI squad, adding further pressure on the wicketkeeper-batter ahead of IPL 2027.

The one stat that makes LSG's decision about Pant almost inevitable

Rishabh Pant arrived at Lucknow Super Giants with massive expectations after becoming one of the most expensive signings in IPL history. However, his performances over the last two seasons have failed to justify the hype surrounding the ₹27 crore price tag. Once regarded as one of the most destructive batters in the tournament, Pant produced unforgettable campaigns in 2018 and 2019, scoring 684 runs at a strike rate of 173.60 and 488 runs at 162.66, respectively. But in LSG colours, the left-hander has struggled to maintain those standards, managing only 581 runs across two seasons at a strike rate of 135.74, with both his average and strike rate dropping below his overall IPL career numbers.

See also -Watch: Sanjay Bangar explains how Rishabh Pant’s poor form hurts LSG in struggling IPL 2026

With LSG finishing near the bottom of the table, Tom Moody hinting at a possible “reset,” and Pant’s own social media activity sparking speculation, fans now believe the franchise could be preparing for a major change ahead of IPL 2027. While no official decision has been announced yet, Pant’s underwhelming numbers, leadership struggles, and growing pressure around the team have only strengthened rumours that his chapter with Lucknow Super Giants may soon come to an end.