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Rishabh Pant-Kuldeep Yadav trade rumours trigger strong response from Kaif over DC’s move: ‘Cannot be a bigger mistake’

Samira Vishwas | June 20, 2026 5:24 PM CST

A blockbuster IPL trade could be on the horizon, with reports suggesting that Rishabh Pant and Kuldeep Yadav are set to swap franchises ahead of the next season. The proposed move has gained significant traction in recent days, with several reports indicating that discussions are at an advanced stage. Both players struggled to make their usual impact during the recently concluded campaign, while their teams also missed out on playoff qualification. The deal would reportedly see Pant join the Delhi Capitals and Kuldeep head to the Lucknow Super Giants.

Amid growing speculation over Kuldeep’s future, former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif warned Delhi Capitals against making a hasty decision, insisting the left-arm wrist-spinner’s long-term value far outweighs a single underwhelming campaign.

“If Delhi send Kuldeep to LSG, there cannot be a bigger mistake than this. Forget this one year. You do not judge a player in one year. Ganguly is also there. He always says not to judge someone who is playing for ten years on the form of one season. If you panic at this time, which KKR did, Delhi picked Kuldeep and then see what he did except this one season. It will give you a clear picture,” he said on his YouTube channel.

Kuldeep endured a mixed IPL season after spending much of India’s T20 World Cup campaign on the bench, but has been highly effective for DC since 2022, taking 72 wickets in 65 matches at an economy rate of 8.24. Pant’s stint with LSG lasted two seasons and produced underwhelming results. As captain, he managed 10 wins and 18 losses, while scoring 581 runs at an average of 26.4 and a strike rate of 135.74.

“Delhi did not lose because of Kuldeep”

Kaif doubled down on his defence of Kuldeep, arguing that the spinner has too often been made the scapegoat during difficult phases despite possessing a rare skill set. He maintained that Delhi Capitals’ struggles this season were the result of multiple issues and warned against pinning the blame on a single player.

“If Delhi has done this trade, no one supports Kuldeep when he is going through a bad time. Neither did KKR, nor did the Indian team. In the Indian team as well, he is the first to be dropped. It is difficult to find a bowler with his skill. You need to back the player. Delhi did not lose because of Kuldeep. There were a lot of errors and one of the factor was of Kuldeep. If you out the blame on one player and put him out, it will be the biggest mistake if they let him go,” Kaif added.