New Delhi, January 20: Lucknow Super Giants owner Sanjiv Goenka believes in the next 10 years, Rishabh Pant will feature in the list of most successful skippers in the Indian Premier League (IPL) alongside MS Dhoni and Rohit Sharma.
After a fierce bid of war in last year's mega auction, Pant emerged as the most expensive pick in the cash-rich league's history with a price tag of Rs 27 crore.
He entered the mega auction as one of the hottest captaincy prospects for the franchises, who were in a hunt for a new skipper. The southpaw boasts an impressive captaincy record with Delhi Capitals, leading the franchise in 43 matches, winning 24, and losing 19 with a win percentage of 56 per cent.
Dhoni has led Chennai Super Kings to a record-breaking five IPL trophies while Rohit has pulled off the same feat but with Mumbai Indians.
With the new chapter of the IPL set to begin next month, Goenka has rooted for Pant to emerge as one of the most successful skippers in the tournament's history in the next decade.
"According to me, he will play for the next 12-15 years. People say that MI and CSK are more successful. Mahi and Rohit are undeniably brilliant. Mark my words, after 10 years, people will say, Mahi, Rohit and Rishabh," Goenka said on Star Sports.
"In my belief, time will prove that he is not only the most successful player of the IPL, but he is going to be the best player of the IPL. I haven't seen players with that kind of passion and hunger to win," he added.
Apart from captaincy, there will be added pressure on Pant, which comes down to the hefty price tag he fetched for himself. In the previous editions, stars succumbed to the pressure of figures and failed to live up to the hype of the price associated with them.
But Goenka has a contrasting take on Pant's price tag. According to him, the talks around the cost ended when the auction concluded in Jeddah.
"The price tag ended when the auction concluded. Every team has spent 120 crores. It is not relevant how much you spend on a single player or the rest," he said.
According to the LSG owner, Pant's thought process, which doesn't fall in the realm of conventional, will play its part in making Pant one of the best skippers that the IPL has ever seen.
"His thought process is a little different. If you go with a conventional thought process, then it isn't unique. I see an in-born leader in him. According to me, he will be the best captain that IPL has ever seen," he added.
There were a couple of franchises, including Punjab Kings and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who were in contention to secure Pant's services. But eventually, it was LSG's resolve that saw Pant move from Delhi to Lucknow.
"I was clear that I wanted him, and I would take it," Goenka stated.
