Rishabh Pant has suggested a possible fallout with the Delhi Capitals (DC) management before the IPL 2025 mega auction. Reports indicated that Pant demanded a substantial retention fee, leading DC to move on from him as their captain. However, the wicketkeeper-batter has now addressed these claims, offering clarity on the situation.
Pant Denies Money Was the Issue
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Pant refuted the claim that his release from DC was financially motivated. He hinted at deeper issues with the franchise, although no details were provided.
DC’s Major Overhaul Before IPL 2025
Ahead of the league’s 18th season, Delhi Capitals underwent significant changes. The franchise’s co-owners, JSW and GMR Group, restructured responsibilities, with GMR managing the men’s team until 2026 while JSW took charge of the women’s team in the Women’s Premier League (WPL).
Additionally, head coach Ricky Ponting was replaced by Hemang Badani, and Venugopal Rao succeeded Sourav Ganguly as DC’s Director of Cricket. Ganguly, now serving as JSW Sports’ Director of Cricket, is expected to focus on the WPL.
Also Read- Rishabh Pant to Join CSK in IPL 2025?
The Pant-GMR Dynamic?
The most striking change, however, was the decision to release Pant. Addressing his exit, Pant stated, “My retention wasn’t about the money for sure, that I can say.” This raises questions: did DC intend to start fresh by releasing their star player, or were there unresolved issues with Pant? Speculation intensified after Pant’s late-night social media post asking fans to predict his auction price for IPL 2025, which reportedly displeased the management.
Until an official explanation comes from DC or Pant, the reasons behind this decision remain unclear.
Delhi Capitals’ Retention List for IPL 2025
- Retention 1 (₹16.50 crore): Axar Patel
- Retention 2 (₹13.25 crore): Kuldeep Yadav
- Retention 3 (₹10 crore): Tristan Stubbs
- Retention 4 (₹4 crore, uncapped): Abhishek Porel
Remaining Purse: ₹76.25 crore