The Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to witness a bidding war for one of its most prized assets – Rishabh Pant. The dynamic wicketkeeper-batter will be among the high-profile names entering the IPL 2025 mega auction after Delhi Capitals (DC) surprisingly decided not to retain him.
Rishabh Pant-DC chapter over
Pant, who has been synonymous with DC since 2016, will now be up for grabs as the franchise went ahead with four other retentions. Axar Patel, at Rs 16.50cr, was their top pick followed by Kuldeep Yadav (Rs 13.25cr) and Tristan Stubbs (Rs 10cr). Abhishek Porel was the only uncapped retention at Rs 4 crore. This move by DC has left many fans and experts puzzled, given Pant’s incredible impact and contribution to the team over the years. Having said that, this has excited the pot of the IPL 2025 auction. With the likes of KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer and now Rishabh Pant in the mix, the auction on November 24-25 will certainly going to be a “mega” one.
Voice of Fans: How much will Rishabh Pant cost?
In a recent poll conducted by Insidesport, fans were asked to predict the price range for Pant at the upcoming IPL 2025 auction. The options ranged from ₹10 crore to ₹30 crore, and the response was overwhelmingly in favor of the swashbuckling batter fetching a record-breaking price.
Unsurprisingly, the majority of fans believe that Pant will be sold for over ₹25 crore at the auction. This sentiment shows the immense value that the player brings to the table, both in terms of his on-the-field abilities and the fan following he commands.
Apart from this, many fans even commented the franchise Pant should go to, with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) fans eyeing to take him. Similar was the case with the Punjab Kings (PBKS) fans, who have all the biggest IPL 2025 auction purse (Rs 110.50 crore) with them. Moreover, with Ricky Ponting being PBKS’ new head coach, there might be an inclination towards Pant for Ponting, who has worked with the Indian superstar for years at DC. Regardless of which franchise ultimately secures Pant’s services, one thing is certain – the IPL 2025 mega auction is set to be a thrilling affair, with the flamboyant batter being the center of attention.
