Swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has been released by the Delhi Capitals ahead of IPL 2025 auction. The news became official once DC announced the list of their retained players and it didn't have the name of Pant in it. The 27-year-old joined the Delhi-based franchise in 2016 and started leading the Capitals in 2021. In 2020, Delhi Capitals reached their first-ever final. However, in the last season, they narrowly missed the playoffs based on net run rate, with Pant being their captain. A recent media report has revealed on why Pant was not retained by the Delhi-based franchise.
According to a report in Times of India, Pant was involved in retention talks with Delhi Capitals and also had several meeting with them. However, GMR Group and JSW Group -- the two co-owner of the franchise -- decided to split their responsibilities and operations on a two-year rotation basis earlier this month, and a result of it, a difference in opinions was formed.
"Pant has had a cordial relationship with both owners. But it was getting difficult to have a common vision and direction where the team was headed. To get so many people on the same page at so many levels was something he was unsure of," a source told the news organisation.
"It was a very emotional moment for all the stakeholders. Pant has been an integral part of the franchise since he was first bought in 2016. The owners and Pant didn't want this relationship to end easily. So, they kept trying till the end. But Pant decided that he would rather leave on good terms and be a bone of contention.
"The GMR group was the sole owner of the team when Pant was bought in 2016. They share a very fond relationship with Pant. But Pant expected a greater role in the franchise which was agreed upon in Aug. But somehow that wasn't translating into anything."
Pant will now be the hottest player in the IPL auction pool as the stakes of wicketkeeper-batters are already expected to be an all-time high at the upcoming bidding war.