ESPNcricinfo has learned that Pant, who became the most expensive buy in IPL history when LSG bought him for INR 27 crore (US$ 3 million approx.) at the 2025 mega auction, will go to DC for INR 15 crore (US$ 1.5 million approx.). Both franchises are still finishing the formalities of this deal and then will have to wait for the BCCI to ratify it. As far as the auction purse is concerned, LSG will have INR 13.75 crore (the outgoing Pant’s INR 27 crore salary minus the incoming Kuldeep’s INR 13.25 crore salary) added to their purse due to the trade, while DC will have INR 1.25 crore deducted from theirs to make it INR 15 crore for Pant*.

Pant will become the second big name after Ravindra Jadeja to take a pay cut as part of the trade. Ahead of IPL 2026, Chennai Super Kings made one of the biggest trades in IPL history when they swapped Jadeja for Sanju Samson with Rajasthan Royals. In 2022, CSK had retained Jadeja for 18 crore but RR got him after offering a salary of INR 14 crore. It is understood that Pant was approached by two franchises – DC and another team that has won the IPL more than once – to play for them.

Kuldeep, who plays for Uttar Pradesh in domestic cricket, will now play for the IPL franchise that represents the state. He had a difficult IPL this year, after spending most of India’s title-winning T20 World Cup campaign on the bench. Overall though, the left-arm wristspinner was an asset to DC, picking up 72 wickets in 65 games at an economy of 8.24 since joining them in 2022.

That was in contrast to his three-and-a-bit years at DC where he became the fifth-youngest captain in the IPL after being appointed initially in an interim capacity in 2021. Pant led DC in 44 matches from 2021 to 2024 (he missed the 2023 edition recovering from a car crash) of which they won 24 and lost 19. As captain, Pant scored 1205 runs while averaging 35.44 – almost identical to his overall IPL average of 35.31 – at a strike rate of 143.96, only slightly worse than his IPL strike rate of 148.93.

If the trade goes through successfully Pant’s return to DC will be similar to that of Hardik Pandya to Mumbai Indians, both players returning to the franchise where their IPL journey started. In Pant’s case, he joined DC in 2016 when they was called Delhi Daredevils. Ahead of the 2025 mega auction Pant opted to be released after talks with the DC leadership group which included co-owner Kiran Grandhi and Parth Jindal.

June 19 GMT 1810 hours This story was updated with how the trade will impact DC and LSG’s auction purses