Rishabh Pant, star wicketkeeper-batter of the Delhi Capitals (DC), will not continue as the team’s captain for the upcoming 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). As reported by a leading daily, Delhi is considering a change in leadership, and India all-rounder Axar Patel is a strong candidate to succeed Pant.
A source revealed, “Yes, the Delhi Capitals could be looking for a new captain. There are chances that Axar Patel may take over, or the franchise could seek a captaincy candidate in the IPL auction, which is likely to take place overseas in mid-November.” Although Pant remains one of the franchise’s top retention picks, the leadership group believes that relieving him of captaincy duties might allow him to focus more on his batting.
Pant has been with DC since 2016 and holds the record as the franchise’s most capped player and leading run-scorer in IPL history. He became captain in 2021 after Shreyas Iyer was sidelined due to injury, and in his debut season as captain, Pant led Delhi to the top of the points table. However, the team failed to reach the final after losses to Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders in the playoffs.
Rishabh Pant was retained by DC for INR 16 crore ahead of the IPL 2022 mega auction. Under his leadership in the 2022 season, Delhi finished fifth on the points table. Unfortunately, Pant missed the entire 2023 season due to multiple injuries from a road accident, but he made a strong comeback in 2024, finishing as the team’s leading run-scorer. Despite his individual performance, Delhi Capitals once again fell short of qualifying for the playoffs.
Delhi Capitals are reportedly considering the possibility of bringing back former captain Shreyas Iyer if Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) release him ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction. Iyer, who led DC to the IPL final in 2020, won the IPL 2024 title as captain of KKR, making him an attractive option for Delhi’s leadership role.
With Axar Patel in the running and the potential return of Shreyas Iyer, the Delhi Capitals are positioning themselves for significant changes in leadership. The IPL 2025 auction will play a pivotal role in determining the franchise’s future direction, as they look to build a squad capable of finally lifting the coveted IPL trophy.
