Rishabh Pant turned into a singer as he belted out his rendition of the popular Pakistani song Afsanay by Young Stunners – Talha Anjum and Talhah Yunus. The Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) skipper was seen crooning along as the Indian Premier League (IPL) side’s mentor Zaheer Khan watched on impressed. Part-time wicketkeeper-batter. Full-time karaoke singer ? pic.twitter.com/mFf2BC77e3 — Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) March 15, 2025 Ahead of IPL 2025, LSG appointed Rishabh Pant as their captain. The swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter was roped in by LSG for a whopping INR 27 crore at the IPL mega auction held in Jeddah last year as he became the most expensive player in the league’s history. “So very simple and that is about announcing the captain of LSG for the future and that is Rishabh Pant. We have decided on that the moment we won him at the auction. But we were waiting for a moment to announce it together,” LSG owner Dr. Sanjiv Goenka was quoted as saying. “Rishabh Pant will not only be the most valuable player of IPL but the best player,” Sanjiv Goenka added. Since making his IPL debut in 2016, Pant has amassed 3,284 runs in 111 matches at an average of 35.31 and a strike rate of 148.93. He has one century and 18 fifties in the tournament. “I will give my 200%. That’s my commitment to you. I will try whatever is there in my power to repay the faith. I am really excited and looking forward to the new beginning and a new energy. And have a blast out there with a lot of fun,” Pant said at the press conference after being unveiled as the new LSG captain. Pant will be LSG’s fourth captain after KL Rahul, Nicholas Pooran and Krunal Pandya. This will be Pant’s second stint as skipper in the IPL after leading Delhi Capitals in 2021, 2022 and 2024. Under Pant’s leadership and the tutelage of head coach Justin Langer, LSG will aim to clinch the IPL title after reaching the playoffs in 2022 and 2023. LSG will square off against Delhi Capitals in their opening match of IPL 2025 at the Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on March 24.