Even as India and Australia face off in the opening Test of the five-match series in Perth, the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction has garnered attention. The mega auction, which will take place in Saudi Arabia on Sunday and Monday, will see Rishabh Pant emerge as one of the most valuable players purchased from the auction pool. While Pant was on the pitch on Day 1 of the Perth Test, Australian bowler Nathan Lyon inquired about his IPL auction destination. Pant replied to Lyon’s inquiry in two words, admitting that he had yet to determine where he would finish up.
Pant refuted the legendary Sunil Gavaskar’s claim that the India wicketkeeper-batsman quit Delhi Capitals due to a disagreement over his retention price ahead of the blockbuster auction. Pant, who captained the Delhi Capitals last year after recovering from a tragic car accident, is one of the star players who were not retained by their respective teams. Johnson is projected to be one of the most sought-after players at the auction, which will occur in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia between November 24 and 25. “My retention was not about the money,” Pant said on X, in response to a broadcaster video of Gavaskar discussing bidding dynamics.
Gavaskar explained that while he expected the Delhi Capitals to sign Pant again, he also wondered if the team and the player disagreed about the money. “The auction dynamics are radically different; we don’t know what will happen. But I believe Delhi would welcome Rishabh Pant returning into the squad,” Gavaskar told Star Sports.
“Rarely, when a player is likely to be retained, there will be discussion between the parent company and the player and company about the fees that are expected.” “As you recognize, some of the actors who have been kept by the franchise have paid more than the No. 1 retention fee reduction. I believe according to Gavaskar, if Pant is not on the roster, the Delhi Capitals will need to hunt for a new captain.
“My hunch is that Delhi will surely want Pant back since they also need a captain. If Rishabh Pant is not in the squad, they would have to hunt for a new captain. Pant, along with fellow former leaders Shreyas Iyer (Kolkata Knight Riders) and KL Rahul (the city of Lucknow Super Giants), has a base price of Rs 2 crore among marquee Indian players.