You can’t find a better wicketkeeper-batter than Rishabh Pant in the current lot. This superstar has been a tremendous asset to both the Indian team and Delhi Capitals. If we look at his IPL numbers, he has led DC for the past few years, and has a 53.48% win rate in 43 games, with the team winning 23 of those matches and qualifying for the playoffs in 2021 as well. In terms of batting, Pant has played 111 matches in his IPL career, scored 3,284 runs at an average of 35.31. This is also impressive, considering he usually comes in to bat towards the end of the first powerplay or in the middle overs, but consistently performing at the top tier.
However, there are chances that DC may not retain him for the upcoming IPL 2025, though nothing is confirmed yet. By 31st October, IPL franchises must submit the names of retained players, and it’s possible that Pant’s name won’t be on that list. Reports have also came that DC is looking for a new captain. If this turns out to be right, we might see Pant exit the DC franchise. So, which teams could possibly target this superstar? See three teams that could bid for this star wicketkeeper in IPL 2025 if DC releases him.
Teams that might target Rishabh Pant in IPL 2025 mega auction
Chennai Super Kings
The team currently linked with Rishabh Pant is Chennai Super Kings, as there are speculations that CSK will look to bid if Pant goes under the hammer. Considering the CSK scenario, this could be a good move because they don’t have many big names apart from MS Dhoni in the wicketkeeping setup. MS is likely playing his last few years in the IPL and is surely not the future of the mix. In that case, one of the fittest candidates to take over from MS is Rishabh Pant, as CSK will look to invest in him for the role that MS has played over the years. We may see Pant donning the yellow jersey, although whether he will be the captain is a question, since Ruturaj Gaikwad is the fresh captain who took on the role last year. If Pant joins CSK, it will certainly make things interesting.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru
Another team that could be a surprise bidder for Rishabh Pant is the Royal Challengers Bengaluru . The team no longer has Dinesh Karthik, who was like glue for the squad and performed exceptionally well in both batting and wicketkeeping. With his retirement, that space is now completely vacant. RCB is in a situation where they need quality players who can consistently perform well in the long run. Pant could effectively fill the role that Karthik used to play, The role of aggressive batting in the last few overs. Also, this southpaw is known for his strike rotation and ability to play longer innings, which would be a massive boon for the RCB camp if they manage to acquire Pant when he goes under the hammer.
Mumbai Indians
Can MI go for Ishan Kishan once again? Will they retain him and give him a longer rope? In the last couple of seasons, they trusted Ishan Kishan, and the Jharkhand batter gave the amazing starts that the team needed. However, the lack of longer innings became an issue. If we believe that MI will first retain their core players, which includes players like Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav, and Jasprit Bumrah, we may see them release Ishan Kishan and look for another strong wicketkeeper-batter. As mentioned, there is no better replacement for Kishan than Rishabh Pant. Since MI’s last struggles were clear to everyone, they failed to score big runs or achieve targets as well , these issues could be resolved if they manage to acquire Pant.
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