Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul send a strong signal to IPL team owners

It’s not all doom and gloom for Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul in the IPL, as made out by franchise owners after the retentions for the 2025 season were announced on Thursday evening. Some of the well-established teams like Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians have a clear thought process. They have retained what they feel is the core group and the rest can be added on at the main auction later this month in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Take it case by case. Pant had hinted more than a month back he was going to take a deep plunge into the auction pool. Why? He was peeved with the management of Delhi Capitals, a side which has a unique control pattern between two owners. At this point of time, there is no need to mention who the owners are, since it is well-known, nor is this article an attempt to malign corporates who are heavyweights with bloated egos. King size, to be precise.

It is well-known, the  Rishabh Pant who played in IPL 2024 is very different from the superstar he is today. His comeback earlier this summer was watched with enormous interest, for his comeback after a life-threatening accident, surgery and rehab was miraculous. Pant stepped up on intent and intensity. Proof of it was his presence and performance in the ICC T20 World Cup and now in the Test series against the Kiwis. Pant is no normal player nor does he expect favours. He is like the big cine stars in Bollywood, who command price tags. It is not as if one flop movie means the star’s value comes down. So, Pant has reached that stage where he feels he is worth many crores. What the eventual price tag will be, will be known at the auction. He is taking a risk, say some. That is rubbish, for Pant will defy market trends and soar. There is talk he could go on to become the highest buy in an IPL auction, which will be a slap on the face for the Delhi Capitals management. They have no business to speak to the media and say they did not retain Pant. Truth is converse, Pant waved bye to Delhi Capitals.

The charisma of Pant will endear him to many franchises. He can go to RCB, CSK, KKR and even Punjab Kings. For those who are talking of how much each team is left with in their purse after the retentions, please remember, the franchises will go the full distance for Pant. As the phrase goes, they will break the bank for him. The other players, uncapped types, can be picked for lower rates. And yes, the last thing Pant needs is a commendation letter from Delhi Capitals.

One hears,  Pant’s exit from DC could reopen the doors for Shreyas Iyer. The winning captain of KKR dared to tell the Kolkata team owners he is worth more than what they were offering. The official quotes form KKR owners they tried to hold on to Shreyas is untrue. Shreyas had decided he was going to explore options. More money, a team where he would have more freedom and earn respect. Far too much credit was given to outgoing KKR mentor Gautam Gambhir for the IPL triumph this May in Chennai. Shreyas is 29, he has plenty of years left in him. So what if he is being treated wrongly by the BCCI and does not find a place in the national side?  He is a good batter and as captain has proved himself. The good part, Shreyas believes in himself that he can get a better price. And there is nothing wrong in that.

There is also a school of thought which feels Shreyas may be expecting far too much. Does not matter, he will know the reality. Surely, the Mumbaikar will have advisors who are scouting teams for him. If franchises are buyers and sellers, what is the harm in a marquee player testing waters. The worst-case scenario is Shreyas may go a few crores of rupees less, but he will still decide his terms and conditions. KKR did not give him that freedom.

KL Rahul is the other player who decided he had enough with Lucknow Super Giants after a few seasons. Having spent time with the Punjab IPL team and then come to Lucknow, Rahul was not exactly a let-down. Everyone knows, the LSG owners are not easy to work with, something which former coach/mentor Gautam Gambhir will also vouch for. Rahul may be going through a bad patch, but he certainly is left with plenty of gas in his tank to get him a good price at the auction. Fortunately, so many captains’ roles have also opened up.