Why did Delhi Capitals release Rishabh Pant ahead of the mega auction for the 2025 season of the Indian Premier League? Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar reckoned disagreement over price could have been the reason, but the star denied the theory, leading Aakash Chopra to speculate captaincy or support staff could have been the reason behind the departure.

In a much-rumoured move, Delhi decided to part ways with their captain, Pant, ahead of the auction, leaving Gavaskar, in conversation with Star Sports, to reckon salary to be the primary reason behind the India wicketkeeper's decision. However, Pant responded to that video shared by Star Sports saying that money had nothing to do with it.

Speaking on the Pant's reaction on his YouTube channel, Aakash blamed the 27-year-old for leading Gavaskar to that speculation as he served a sharp reminder to his month-old tweet, where he had posted asking his fans, “If go to the auction. will I be sold or not and for how much?”

Aakash said: "I saw a video where Sunil Gavaskar said that negotiations happen these days and a few players have got more than ₹18 crore, like Heinrich Klaasen got ₹23 crore and Virat Kohli got ₹21 crore. So maybe Rishabh wanted more and he didn't get as much, and that's why he is not with Delhi now but Delhi will want to keep him with them and will use the RTM card because they also need a captain.

"This was Sunny bhai's thought process. He said that and Rishabh Pant quickly responded that money had nothing to do with it, which basically tells us that something else was cooking there. Rishabh Pant actually started this. He had tweeted that if he goes to the auction, will he be sold, and for how much if he gets sold. Why would you ask that question, Rishabh? That was a hint that all is not well in Delhi's heavenly abode."

The Capitals notably retained Axar Patel (INR 16.5 crore, Kuldeep Yadav (INR 13.25 crore), Tristan Stubbs (INR 10 crore), Abhishek Porel (INR 4 crore) ahead of the auction, leaving them with a purse value of INR 43.75 crore.

'Was it captaincy? Was it support staff?'

Aakash further dissected Pant's departure from Delhi, reckoning there could only be two reasons. He felt either Delhi were either hell bent on not continuing with Pant as skipper, but retaining him, or the India star might have asked for his own support staff at the franchise.

"I had also heard that the money negotiation was settled but then what happened? There are only two things that could have happened. One is Rishabh Pant might have been told that they would keep him but not make him their captain or at least they can't guarantee him that he would be their captain. In such a scenario, Rishabh might have said no when asked if he would want to stay," he said.

"If this wasn't the reason, the second thing could be that he might have asked for his own support staff because the support staff was changing. In such a scenario, Rishabh Pant might have asked for three or four people in his support staff team, and that it wouldn't work out if they didn't do that."

Read Also: India make multiple last-minute changes to squad before Perth Test; Devdutt Padikkal added, T20 specialist flown in

HOW DID YOU LIKE THIS ARTICLE? CHOOSE YOUR EMOTICON !