Rishabh Pant's CSK move blocked as Delhi Capitals lock him as No.1 retention

There was speculation and rumors swirling regarding the Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's future with the Delhi Capitals (DC) ahead of the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).

The murmurs of trouble between the young Indian wicketkeeper-batsman and the Delhi Capitals (DC) over his retention fee cast a shadow of uncertainty over his future with the IPL franchise.

While the cricketing world was abuzz with rumors, Pant made his bat talk instead, as he silenced all his critics with a breathtaking century in the ongoing first Test match against Bangladesh in Chennai.

Delhi Capitals (DC) retain Rishabh Pant amid retention fee rumors

As the 26-year-old dazzled the nation with a blistering century in Chennai, news broke that the DC team has decided to retain their captain for the upcoming IPL 2025.

Sources with the DC ownership group confirmed to Cricbuzz that Pant would once again don the Delhi jersey in the upcoming IPL 2025, putting an end to all those doubts and rumors. DC opted to stand behind Pant and made him their top retention pick for the upcoming season.

Pant's journey with the Delhi franchise has been a rollercoaster ride full of ups and downs. Recently, the tension surrounding the retainer fee had everyone speculating that he might leave the side, but his meeting with the team co-owner Parth Jindal in Mumbai proved to be crucial."

However, all the air has been cleared now, with the franchise realizing that they should not let go of their explosive left-hander, as they valued him not just as a player but even as a leader. Although the BCCI has not released the final rules for the retentions, it is being said that Pant's INR 16 crore salary can see a jump soon ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.

Pant to be DC's top retention choice: Report

A Cricbuzz report claimed that the DC has decided to retain Pant for the next IPL season, and the decision was finalized after Jindal met the Indian wicketkeeper-batter in Mumbai ahead of the ongoing two-match Test series against Bangladesh at home.

The report also revealed that Pant will be DC’s “top retention choice,” and his salary is “expected to go up based on the total player purse allowed to a franchise and the retention fee guidelines set by the BCCI." Notably, Pant is currently getting INR 16 crore for his services in the IPL.

Meanwhile, the DC team management has reportedly made significant progress on retention decisions ahead of the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction. If the BCCI allows the franchises to retain more than five players, it is highly likely that Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav will be retained by the DC.

Jake Fraser-McGurk and Tristan Stubbs set to be retained by DC

Additionally, the overseas stars Jake Fraser-McGurk of Australia and Tristan Stubbs of South Africa are also likely to be retained by the franchise. In terms of uncapped players, they are expected to focus on the 21-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Abhishek Porel if the BCCI allows.

Notably, the DC franchise is co-owned by the GMR and JSW Groups, who take turns managing the team every two years. Currently, the GMR Group is overseeing operations, but the key decisions regarding player retention and auction strategies are made by both the groups.