IPL 2025: Delhi Capitals retain four players, exclude Rishabh Pant
It's official! Star batter Rishabh Pant is set to go under the hammer ahead of the 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. As per an ESPNcricinfo report, Pant will not be retained by his franchise, the Delhi Capitals (DC), for the 2025 season. The development comes after months of failed negotiations between Pant and DC's owners. The Capitals have retained four players - Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel.
Pant's leadership tenure and performance at DC
In 2021, Pant became the fifth-youngest captain in IPL history after claiming the role at DC. He led side in 44 matches between 2021 and 2024 (not in 2023 due to a car accident). Under his captaincy, the team won 24 and lost 19 matches. As captain, Pant scored an impressive 1,205 runs with an average nearly identical to his overall IPL average.
DC's strategy and retained players
As mentioned, the franchise has also retained the spin duo of Axar and Kuldeep, the talented South African batter Tristan Stubbs, and uncapped Indian wicketkeeper-batter Abishek Porel. Patel has been with the Capitals since 2019 after his stint with Punjab Kings (PBKS), while Yadav broke into the side in 2022 after spending five seasons with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). Porel was added to the team in 2023.
DC's leadership dilemma and potential replacements
With Pant's exit, who will lead DC in the 2025 edition? Axar Patel is a strong contender, but it is understood that the franchise will explore more options at the mega auction. A source close to developments revealed that Shreyas Iyer could be on their radar as he has had a lot of success with DC and knows their setup well.
DC's future plans and auction strategy
DC now intend to utilize their two RTM cards at the mega auction. This move could also see them get Pant back. If they don't, a new captain will be announced. Retaining an uncapped and three capped players, DC's purse will be slashed by at least ₹47 crore (18+14+11+ 4), leaving them with ₹73 crore for squad building at the auction, as per ESPNcricinfo.
