"Someone even spread the rumor that they didn't want to make him the captain" - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals releasing Rishabh Pant
Aakash Chopra has noted that the Delhi Capitals' (DC) decision to release Rishabh Pant and Jake Fraser-McGurk ahead of the IPL 2025 auction was surprising. He opined that rumors about the franchise not wanting to retain Pant as their skipper for the upcoming edition of the prestigious league could also be true.
The Capitals retained only four players - Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs and Abishek Porel - ahead of the auction. They have ₹73 crore left in their kitty heading into the auction.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener noted that the Delhi Capitals' releases garnered more attention than their retentions.
"This team's story was that the discussion was more on who they released than who they retained because there are two players, who when they were released, eyebrows were raised. First is, of course, Rishabh Pant. Rishabh Pant would have left only because he would have wanted to go," he said (6:45).
"It's not possible the team wouldn't have wanted to retain him. Either Rishabh Pant didn't want to stay or he wasn't retained. I am sure they would have thought about retaining him. Someone even spread the rumor that they didn't want to make him the captain. It is in the realm of possibility but no one knows the truth. You let him and Jake Fraser-McGurk also go, although you have the RTM card available," Chopra added.
With 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40 in 13 innings, Pant was the Delhi Capitals' highest run-getter in IPL 2024. Fraser-McGurk was the franchise's third-highest run-scorer, smashing 330 runs at a strike rate of 234.04 in nine innings.
"Makes a lot of sense" - Aakash Chopra on Delhi Capitals' retention of Axar Patel
![Axar Patel picked up 11 wickets at an economy rate of 7.65 in 14 innings in IPL 2024. [P/C: iplt20.com]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/11/9dee7-17307823853025-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra opined that the Delhi Capitals made the right decision to retain Axar Patel.
"If you see Delhi's retentions, Axar Patel - 16.50 crores, No. 1 retention, makes a lot of sense. Kuldeep Yadav for 13.25 crores, Tristan Stubbs for 10 crores, and Abishek Porel, since he is an uncapped Indian, has been signed for four crores only. They have lost more money than they have spent," he said (5:15).
The reputed commentator noted that the spin-bowling all-rounder might have been a sought-after player had he made it to the auction.
"They have ensured that eight overs of spin is perfect. I feel Axar Patel could have been one of the most expensive players if he had gone into the auction. He could actually be a captaincy candidate," Chopra observed.
Chopra reckons the Delhi Capitals were also right in retaining Kuldeep Yadav and Tristan Stubbs.
"I feel retaining Kuldeep Yadav was also absolutely right because considering the tiny ground you play on, if you don't have craft in your bowling, you are not useful. So Kuldeep Yadav staying there is absolutely imperative. Tristan Stubbs is absolutely gold dust. Since he came for 10 crores, I would say the daddy of gold dust," he reasoned.
Kuldeep picked up 16 wickets at an economy rate of 8.69 in 11 innings in IPL 2024. Stubbs was the franchise's second-highest run-scorer, amassing 378 runs at a strike rate of 190.90 in 13 innings.