Top IPL franchises that can target Rishabh Pant in the IPL 2025 mega auction

The retentions made by the respective franchises for IPL 2025 have resulted in several surprising names entering the pool for the mega auction. With their top retentions finalized, many teams find themselves without a suitable captaincy prospect, while players who have previously led teams in the league are now hoping for bids that reflect their value in the upcoming auction. Surprisingly, the champions of IPL 2024, Kolkata Knight Riders, utilized all their available retention slots. However, their title-winning skipper, Shreyas Iyer, was not included among the retained players. With KKR not holding any Right to Match (RTM) cards for use in the mega auction, it seems that Iyer has likely concluded his tenure with the purple jersey. Another team that made a shocking move is Delhi Capitals, who opted to release Rishabh Pant ahead of the forthcoming season. Now available in the auction, multiple franchises are expected to show interest in bidding for the star wicketkeeper-batter.

The end of Rishabh Pant in Delhi Capitals

Rishabh Pant took over the captaincy of Delhi Capitals in 2021, stepping in for an injured Shreyas Iyer at that time. However, in a surprising and seemingly controversial decision, Delhi Capitals released Iyer ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction while retaining Pant as the team captain. Iyer was subsequently picked by Kolkata Knight Riders and became their captain the following year. Pant led Delhi in IPL 2022, but he missed the 2023 season due to injuries sustained in an unfortunate car accident, with David Warner taking over the captaincy. Upon his recovery, Pant was reinstated as the team’s leader for IPL 2024.

Following the conclusion of IPL 2024, multiple shake-ups occurred within the Delhi Capitals camp. Ricky Ponting departed and joined Punjab Kings as the head coach for the upcoming season. Additionally, as the GMR group took over leadership from the JSW group for the next two years, Sourav Ganguly also requested a sabbatical for that duration. Speculation about Pant's exit from DC first gained traction when Ponting left the franchise.

Further reports indicated that management was seeking a new captain to replace Rishabh Pant. An extensive update revealed that while DC was initially prepared to retain Pant, they were not willing to continue with him as captain. Pant, however, was keen to maintain his leadership role. The disparity in their respective priorities ultimately led to Pant's release from the squad ahead of the mega auction. As a result, Rishabh Pant is expected to command a significant bid in the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Top 3 teams set to bid for Rishabh Pant in the IPL 2025 mega auction

• Punjab Kings

Punjab Kings will enter the IPL 2025 mega auction with the largest budget among the ten franchises. The team retained only two uncapped players, releasing their entire squad, including Arshdeep Singh. By keeping Shashank Singh and Prabhsimran Singh in their core group, Punjab aims to build the rest of their roster with the Rs 110.5 crore they have saved for the mega auction. With ample resources at their disposal, Punjab Kings are anticipated to make a substantial effort to secure Rishabh Pant for their squad.

The partnership makes sense, considering Punjab is in search of a captaincy option following Shikhar Dhawan’s retirement. Notably, Punjab’s head coach, Ricky Ponting, has previously worked closely with Pant, having coached him at Delhi Capitals since 2021. Apart from the 2023 season, Pant and Ponting collaborated as captain and coach for the Delhi franchise, enhancing the chances that PBKS will pursue Pant aggressively, especially with Ponting supporting the decision.

• Royal Challengers Bengaluru

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) is another potential contender with Rs 83 crore in their budget, the second-largest auction purse. With Dinesh Karthik no longer in the squad, RCB is actively seeking a wicketkeeper-batter, and Pant fits that role perfectly. Adding Pant to a lineup that already features Virat Kohli and Rajat Patidar would significantly strengthen their batting order. However, it remains to be seen whether RCB will offer the captaincy to the 27-year-old. RCB has not retained Faf du Plessis in their squad, and earlier reports suggested that Bengaluru was in search of a potential captain during the mega auction.

However, a recent report from RCB indicated that Virat Kohli has expressed interest in reclaiming his position as team captain ahead of IPL 2025. While Pant would likely prefer a role similar to the one he held with Delhi Capitals, he would not oppose the idea of playing under the leadership of his former Indian skipper, Virat Kohli. With both PBKS and RCB in contention, a bidding war for Pant appears imminent, which could result in him becoming the most expensive player in IPL history.

• Chennai Super Kings

Chennai Super Kings might also consider entering the fray. CSK's name emerged in discussions when former player Suresh Raina made a subtle remark about Pant during a recent interaction, hinting at a potential collaboration. Raina noted seeing Pant with MS Dhoni at an event, fueling speculation about their future partnership.

"I met MS Dhoni in Delhi; Pant was also there. I think something big is about to happen. Someone will be wearing a yellow jersey soon,” Raina stated.

However, with only Rs 55 crore available in their budget for the mega auction, CSK may struggle to compete in the bidding for the star player. Pant is expected to command a price of at least Rs 18-20 crore in the auction, raising questions about whether CSK can afford to invest that much. Furthermore, with Ruturaj Gaikwad having served only one season as captain, CSK is unlikely to offer the captaincy to the former Delhi skipper.