Aakash Chopra suggests a player LSG should take along with Kuldeep Yadav in exchange for Rishabh Pant after IPL 2026

× Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) should take a middle-order batter along with Kuldeep Yadav from the Delhi Capitals (DC) in exchange for Rishabh Pant. He named Ashutosh Sharma as a potential acquisition for the Lucknow-based franchise. Ad Reports suggest that LSG would trade Pant to DC and get Kuldeep in return from the Delhi-based franchise.

The wicketkeeper-batter would also reportedly take a massive pay cut to return to his former franchise. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India batter noted that DC do not have any major middle-order concerns to address by acquiring Pant. "It's been heard that Rishabh Pant is going to Delhi.

Did DC have a major middle-order problem? They didn't have that big a problem when they played Tristan Stubbs and David Miller together, and Nitish Rana also eventually scored good runs there. Axar Patel is there.

They didn't use Ashutosh Sharma well. Sameer Rizvi had started well. It's not a bad team," he said.

Ad Trending On the flip side, Chopra reckoned that Kuldeep would be a great addition to the LSG squad. "Kuldeep Yadav is a great acquisition, if it happens, because they don't have spinners. Digvesh Rathi has not had a good season, and Shahbaz Ahmed was 50-50.

So if you get an Indian spinner like Kuldeep Yadav, it will be a brilliant addition to the fast bowling army they have prepared, and Kuldeep should do well on this big ground," he elaborated. Ad However, the former Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) player opined that LSG should ask for Ashutosh along with Kuldeep as part of the trade deal. "However, why him alone?

They also need a middle-order batter. Should they not get Ashutosh Sharma along with him? At least ask for him.

Rishabh Pant is very expensive, even if he is taking a pay cut, but you should get at least two players in return. I feel Kuldeep Yadav, and Ashutosh Sharma with him," Chopra observed. Ad Aakash Chopra noted that although the Lucknow Super Giants could also ask for Tristan Stubbs along with Kuldeep Yadav, the Delhi Capitals might not be willing to let go of the South African middle-order batter.

While naming Sameer Rizvi as another player who could be traded, the analyst highlighted that LSG would preferably want a lower-middle-order batter. "Their things would get resolved" - Aakash Chopra on LSG potentially acquiring Ashutosh Sharma along with Kuldeep Yadav In the same video, Aakash Chopra noted that Ashutosh Sharma's acquisition would resolve the Lucknow Super Giants' lower-middle-order issues. Ad "If they get Ashutosh along with Kuldeep, their things would get resolved, because they have got Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Aiden Markram, Ayush Badoni, and then they need batters down the order," he said.

While observing that LSG's lower-middle-order batters weren't consistent enough in IPL 2026, the cricketer-turned-commentator reckoned that Ashutosh's addition would improve that department. "Mukul Choudhary is there for sure, but Shahbaz Ahmed, Mukul, and Abdul Samad didn't manage it that well. If they get Ashutosh Sharma here, things will become better suddenly.

So if they get Kuldeep and Ashutosh Sharma, that would be great," Chopra stated. Aakash Chopra also wondered whether the Delhi Capitals would need a fast bowler as they might want to release some of their Indian pacers and could be apprehensive about Mitchell Starc's availability for IPL 2027, considering it's an Ashes and ODI World Cup year. He reckoned that DC might want to trade in a seamer along with Rishabh Pant and give Kuldeep Yadav and Ashutosh Sharma in return in such a scenario.

× Was this article helpful? Thank You for feedback Get real-time updates on IPL 2025, live scores, IPL Prediction, match schedule, points table,Result & squad -CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS Quick Links More from Sportskeeda Edited by Kartik Iyer Former India player Aakash Chopra has opined that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) should take a middle-order batter along with Kuldeep Yadav from the Delhi Capitals (DC) in exchange for Rishabh Pant. He named Ashutosh Sharma as a potential acquisition for the Lucknow-based franchise.

Ad Reports suggest that LSG would trade Pant to DC and get Kuldeep in return from the Delhi-based franchise. The wicketkeeper-batter would also reportedly take a massive pay cut to return to his former franchise. In a video shared on his YouTube channel, 'Aakash Chopra,' the former India batter noted that DC do not have any major middle-order concerns to address by acquiring Pant.

"It's been heard that Rishabh Pant is going to Delhi. Did DC have a major middle-order problem? They didn't have that big a problem when they played Tristan Stubbs and David Miller together, and Nitish Rana also eventually scored good runs there.

Axar Patel is there. They didn't use Ashutosh Sharma well. Sameer Rizvi had started well.

It's not a bad team," he said. Ad Trending On the flip side, Chopra