IPL 2025: From Nicholas Pooran to Rishabh Pant, Five Captain Options for LSG in IPL

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IPL 2025: As the Lucknow Super Giants prepare for the upcoming IPL season, the question of captaincy remains one of the most pivotal decisions for the franchise. With last season’s mixed results and their continual push for a maiden IPL title, LSG opted against retaining their captain KL Rahul for the upcoming season.

With the role of skipper empty, the Lucknow-based franchise has been linked with several players, including retained star Nicholas Pooran as well as others from the upcoming IPL mega auction. Here, we delve into each of these captaincy candidates and what they could offer the Super Giants in the upcoming IPL season.

IPL 2025: Lucknow Super Giants’ Five Captain Choices

#1. Nicholas Pooran

Nicholas Pooran stands out as one of the prime candidates for the Lucknow Super Giants captaincy role in IPL 2025.

A proven match-winner, Pooran is known for his extraordinary power-hitting abilities that can turn games on their head, making him one of the most destructive batters in the T20 circuit. Known for his versatility against both pace and spin, the West Indian also remains a reliable option behind the stumps.

Pooran has prior captaincy experience, having stepped in for KL Rahul in IPL 2024, and he led the West Indies in limited-overs formats, giving him ample experience in high-pressure situations.

Pooran’s consistent form has been a major asset for LSG. In the 2024 season, he scored 499 runs, averaging 62.38 with a blistering strike rate of 178.21, and contributed three fifties, becoming one of the team’s leading run-scorers.

His performance was so impactful that many media reports have speculated that LSG's ₹21 crore retention deal included a condition for him to assume captaincy. In 2024 alone, Pooran emerged as the highest T20 run-scorer globally, amassing 2,251 runs from 68 games across leagues, solidifying his status as a top-tier batsman.

#2. Rishabh Pant

In a surprising decision, Delhi Capitals released Rishabh Pant ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Pant, who holds the record as the all-time leading run-scorer for DC, has been instrumental to the team’s identity over the years. With 446 runs last season and his history as DC's most-capped player, Pant's departure has shocked fans and analysts alike.

According to a report by InsideSport, Lucknow Super Giants are strongly considering the wicketkeeper-batter as their captaincy choice for IPL 2025. Known for his fearless approach and tactical acumen, LSG reportedly sees Pant as a franchise player who could attract substantial fan support and bring fresh energy to the team.

With the player available in the upcoming mega auction, sources suggest that LSG are prepared to make an aggressive bid, potentially surpassing ₹25 crore to secure him.

#3. Marcus Stoinis

Despite not being retained by LSG ahead of the IPL 2025 auction, Australian all-rounder Marcus Stoinis remains a compelling captaincy candidate for the franchise, with a potential return through the Right to Match (RTM) option.

Known for his versatility and power-hitting, Stoinis finished last season with 388 runs in 14 matches, featuring a strike rate of above 147. He also picked up four wickets in seven innings.

With LSG’s new Australian coach Justin Langer at the helm, there’s strong speculation that Stoinis could be given a leadership role, perhaps even as captain, considering the coach’s familiarity with Stoinis from the Australian circuit. Alternatively, if LSG secure another captain, Stoinis could easily step into a vice-captain role.

#4. Nitish Rana

Nitish Rana, a seasoned T20 batter with extensive IPL experience, stands out as a potential captaincy choice for Lucknow Super Giants after his release by the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Although he was KKR’s vice-captain, Rana previously led the franchise during the 2023 season when Shreyas Iyer was sidelined with an injury. While the Knight Riders finished seventh under his leadership, Rana’s captaincy demonstrated his ability to keep his team competitive despite a challenging season.

A consistent performer for KKR since joining in 2018, Rana has regularly scored over 300 runs each season – except in 2024, when he was sidelined due to a finger injury and only managed two appearances.

As an Indian player with substantial IPL experience, Nitish Rana may be an unlikely but suitable gamble for LSG to take as they look forward to a new period of captaincy.

#5. KL Rahul

Could it be? Lucknow Super Giants have indeed let go of their captain, KL Rahul, in a bold move. After two seasons of leading LSG with solid, if unspectacular, performances, Rahul’s release ahead of the IPL 2025 auction signals a new chapter for the Super Giants.

However, LSG will have an option of buying back KL Rahul at the mega auction using their Right to Match (RTM) card. Although that option remains highly uncertain, nothing can be discounted on auction day.

Rahul’s captaincy record in the IPL is mixed, with 31 wins and 31 losses. Although he amassed substantial runs in his early years as captain – securing the Orange Cap with 670 runs in 2020 and maintaining consistency through the 2021 season – his strike rate remained modest.

The 2024 season further tested Rahul’s tenure as skipper, as he faced an injury that left Krunal Pandya filling in during key matches, ultimately leading the team to a respectable third-place finish.

A reported mid-season confrontation with owner Sanjiv Goenka, following an especially slow knock in a one-sided defeat to Sunrisers Hyderabad, fuelled speculation about Rahul’s future with LSG, which officially ended on retention list day.