Win Projections to be updated soon
Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has clarified that his departure from the Delhi Capitals was not due to a disagreement over his retention fee. This statement comes after cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar suggested that financial disputes might have influenced Pant’s exit from the franchise ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Pant Responds to Speculation
In a video shared by Star Sports, Gavaskar discussed the dynamics of player retention and auction strategies. He noted that top players sometimes leave their franchises to gauge their true market value in the auction. Gavaskar speculated that Pant’s situation might be similar, expecting Delhi Capitals to target him again in the upcoming auction.
“Delhi would certainly want Rishabh Pant back in the squad,” Gavaskar said. “Sometimes when a player is to be retained, there is talk between the player and franchise about expected fees. If there was some disagreement over those fees, it could explain his departure.”
However, Pant quickly refuted these claims. In his response on X (formerly Twitter), he stated, “My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say.” This comment directly addressed Gavaskar’s speculation and also reaffirmed that financial issues were not the reason for his exit.
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Auction Dynamics and Future Prospects
The IPL auction, scheduled for November 25 and 26, is expected to attract interest from all ten franchises towards Pant. Despite this widespread interest, analysts believe he may end up with one of three teams: 1. Punjab Kings, 2. Lucknow Super Giants, or 3. Royal Challengers Bengaluru. A return to Delhi Capitals remains a possibility as well.
The Delhi franchise has retained four players ahead of the auction: Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, and Abishek Porel. Their retention strategy suggests they may utilize their Right to Match (RTM) cards to bring Pant back into their fold.
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