"My retention wasn’t about the money for sure" - Rishabh Pant responds to Sunil Gavaskar’s comments ahead of 2025 IPL auction
Team India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has responded to the comments made by former player Sunil Gavaskar on a show hosted by Star Sports. Pant replied to the legend regarding the 2025 IPL auction via his official social media account.
Pant enters into the auction after being released by the Delhi Capitals. The 27-year-old has played for the Delhi-based franchise since 2016, scoring 3284 runs. He also led the side in 2022 and 2024.
Ahead of the IPL auction on November 24 and 25, Sunil Gavaskar spoke about the possibility of Pant re-uniting with the Delhi Capitals. The 75-year-old said:
"See, the auction dynamics are completely different. So we don't know how things could go. But what I feel is Delhi (Capitals) would certainly want Rishabh Pant back in their squad. Sometimes, you know, when the player is to be retained, there is a talk between the franchise and the player about the fees that are expected."
"As you can see, some of the players who have been retained by their franchise, they have been retained for more than, say, what the number one retention fee deduction would be," he added.
Gavaskar also mulled over the possibility of the Capitals needing a skipper in Pant to lead them next season. He continued:
"So clearly, I think, maybe there was some disagreement over there but Delhi definitely want Rishabh Pant back because they want a captain as well. If Rishabh Pant is not in their squad, then they'll have to buy a new captain. So my feeling is that Delhi will definitely go for Rishabh Pant."
Pant used his official account on X and replied under Star Sports' post, writing:
"My retention wasn’t about the money for sure that I can say 🤍."
Take a look at the reply below:
Rishabh Pant features in Set 1 of Marquee Players of the 2025 IPL Mega Auction list
Pant will feature in Set 1 of the Marquee Players alongside Shreyas Iyer, Jos Buttler, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, and Mitchell Starc. He has set a base price of ₹2 crores and is expected to draw a bid from all the franchises.
The IPL auction will be held on November 24 and 25 at the Abady Al Johar Arena, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 574 players will be going under the hammer across 79 sets.