Rishabh Pant needs no introduction, as the southpaw has steadily risen to the top with his powerful batting and versatile wicketkeeping. Wherever he plays, whether it’s international cricket or the IPL, he becomes a key player. In the IPL, he has scored over 3,000 runs in 111 games, showcasing his remarkable rise, with all his runs coming at a strike rate of 148. Pant also did an excellent job as captain of Delhi Capitals (DC).
However, things might take a twist this time, as there are speculations that DC may seek a new captain and possibly release Pant. Although nothing is confirmed yet, if the captaincy is taken away, there is a chance Pant might leave the camp. If this happens, there will be a buzz in the IPL mega auction 2025, as teams might not only aim to bring Rishabh Pant into their squad but also offer him the captaincy. So, which teams could offer him the skipper’s role? Let’s take a look at three teams that might offer captaincy to Rishabh Pant in IPL 2025.
IPL Teams that may offer captaincy to Rishabh Pant
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
The Bengaluru-based franchise lacks a wicketkeeper, especially now that Dinesh Karthik is no longer with the team, and there is a chance that captain Faf du Plessis might also leave. This means they need both a wicketkeeper and a captain. There’s no question that RCB, a team often struggling with consistency, whether it’s from the batters or, more frequently, from the bowlers, well when it comes to this Southpaw, RCB could benefit from Rishabh Pant’s aggressive batting. Given Pant’s attributes, which align really well with RCB’s needs, it seems like a perfect match. There’s a strong possibility that RCB might consider making him their captain.
Lucknow Super Giants
The team has a few uncertainties, as there are many things that are still not clear. There is a possibility that KL Rahul could leave the franchise, but that will be clarified very soon. If KL Rahul does move on, it would mean that both the top-order batter and wicketkeeper positions will be vacant. There is a chance that Rishabh Pant could be brought in by this team with the captaincy role. Pant, who has a decent win percentage of 53.49% as captain in 43 games, with 23 losses and a few playoff entries, could certainly benefit LSG as a leader.
Punjab Kings
The team has experienced big turbulence always, finishing ninth in the IPL 2024 season with only 5 wins. Team that have changed captains more often than they have won IPL matches but now they need one more change, especially with Shikhar Dhawan announcing his retirement from international and domestic cricket.
It’s possible that Dhawan may not be retained by the franchise, which means the top-order position is open, creating a good opportunity for Rishabh Pant. The team has multiple wicketkeepers, such as Prabhsimran Singh, Jitesh Sharma, and Jonny Bairstow, but they have not achieved the stability they were looking for in a wicketkeeper-batter who can contribute effectively.
This means that from a playing perspective, there is an opening. Also, with no Shikhar Dhawan or Sam Curran, who also captained in many IPL 2024 matchesthe door is open for Rishabh Pant to step in as skipper.
