Star Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant who has left Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction recently addressed comments made by legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar.
Sunil Gavaskar speculated that the 27 years old cricketer parted ways with the franchise due to disagreement over retention fees. Rishabh Pant who had been a core player for Delhi Capitals since 2016 was released by the franchise as preparations for the mega auction which is scheduled to be held in Jeddah on November 24 and 25 intensified.
In a video shared on X by a sports portal last week, Sunil Gavaskar stated that sometimes top players choose to go in auction in order to find out their value.
Sunil Gavaskar can be heard saying, “Delhi would certainly want Rishabh Pant back in the squad. Sometimes when a player is to be retained, there is talk between the player and franchise about the fees that is expected. As you can see, some of the players who have been retained by the franchise have gone for more than what the No. 1 retention fee would’ve been. Maybe there was some disagreement over there (fees).”
Little Master further added, “My feeling is Delhi would definitely want Pant back because they need a captain as well. If Rishabh Pant is not in their squad, then they have to look for a new captain.”
Rishabh Pant reacted soon by writing, “My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say.”
Here is the video & Rishabh Pant’s comment:
https://x.com/RishabhPant17/status/1858745953756303689
Click to watch this video directly on X
Rishabh Pant, who returned to the IPL action in 2024 after missing the 2023 season due to multiple injuries sustained in a road accident, captained Delhi Capitals and emerged as the team’s top scorer. Despite his efforts, the team finished sixth on the points table, missing playoff qualification for the third consecutive year.
Many cricket experts, fans and former greats believe that Rishabh Pant will be among the most sought-after players during the IPL 2025 mega auction. With a record-breaking bid anticipated, there is speculation that Pant could surpass Australian pacer Mitchell Starc’s record as the highest paid player in the IPL auction history. Starc was signed by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) for a whopping amount of Rs 24.75 crore in the IPL 2024 auction but industry insiders suggest that Rishabh Pant could command Rs 25 crore or even more.
How much price will Rishabh Pant command according to you? Let us know your guess.
