"He will get full freedom from my side": DC captain Axar Patel on Rishabh Pant's return to franchise
New Delhi, June 24
Captain Axar Patel is delighted with the announcement of the return of his friend and veteran wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to the Delhi Capitals franchise for the next IPL season.
In one of the most significant player trades in recent IPL history, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain Rishabh Pant has been traded to DC, while the Capitals spinner Kuldeep Yadav will move to Lucknow.
Pant's IPL salary will see a significant reduction after he was traded to the Capitals at a revised fee of Rs 15 crore. Kuldeep, on the other hand, will continue at his existing fee of Rs 13.50 crore after he joined the Lucknow-based franchise.
Delhi Capitals shared a post on Instagram with Patel welcoming Pant to the team.
"When he was here before, he was my captain, and he was leading me. At that time, we didn't have anything like 'I am the captain, I will tell you this and that'. We used to work in mutual understanding. He knows that he is a senior player, and I know that I am a senior player. We had a mutual understanding of what he can do best in a particular situation and what he can't," Patel said in the video.
He further added, "As a friend and as a captain, I will tell him that he knows that he doesn't have any extra pressure from me or from the franchise. This is his own house; he has played here for many years. Delhi is his home, so I don't have to say much to him. I just know that he will get full freedom as a captain from my side."
Concluding his message, Patel said, "Just enjoy yourself. Enjoy your character. Form is temporary, class is permanent. You are a player of that category. You have full freedom from our side. Just play your game and enjoy. This will be the message for him."
Pant started his IPL career with Delhi Capitals (then Delhi Daredevils) in 2016. He had represented DC in eight IPL seasons before moving to LSG in 2025 after a record bid of Rs 27 crore in the auction.
He struggled to justify his price tag over the past two seasons with the franchise, as he managed only three fifty-plus scores in 28 innings, which included one century and two half-centuries. In IPL 2025, he scored 269 runs at an average of 24.45 and a strike rate of 133.16.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Nice to see Axar being a supportive captain. But honestly, I think Pant needs to work on his shot selection. He's been getting out playing silly shots. Hope the freedom helps, not hurts!
Class is permanent - absolutely right! Pant is a match-winner on his day. DC fans must be thrilled to have him back. And Kuldeep for LSG is also a good trade. Win-win for both teams. 👏
I'm a bit skeptical. Pant's recent form has been underwhelming for two seasons now. Paying him 15 crore is still a lot. But maybe a change of environment and Axar's trust will bring out the old Rishabh again. Let's wait and watch.
This is beautiful leadership! Axar saying "just enjoy yourself" shows maturity beyond his years. Pant probably needed this reassurance after the pressure at LSG. Hope to see the old fearless Pant back! ❤️
Honestly, I feel Pant's arrogance sometimes costs him. But Axar's approach - giving freedom with mutual understanding - that's smart. If anyone can handle Pant, it's a calm guy like Axar. Delhi chemistry is back! 🎉
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