Rishabh Pant (Source: AFP Photos)
Rishabh Pant is set to re-join the Delhi Capitals franchise next year in the IPL 2027 season. After starting out his IPL career with the Capitals back in 2016, the attacking Indian wicketkeeper-batter spent the last two seasons of the tournament as captain of the Lucknow Super Giants.
With LSG trading out Pant in exchange of Capitals’ Kuldeep Yadav, several fans and cricket experts believe that the blistering stumper might well lead the franchise next year. However, former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer is of the opinion that Pant should not take up captaincy offer for the Capitals, at least not for the time being.
Wasim Jaffer explains why Rishabh Pant should refuse DC captaincy
Former Indian opener and domestic veteran Wasim Jaffer has urged Rishabh Pant to refuse Delhi Capitals captaincy, if the offer is presented to him by the franchise.
According to Jaffer, the wicketkeeper-batter should refine his own batting form in the IPL. The former cricketer also cited KL Rahul’s example, stating that the elegant opening batter is enjoying a prolific time at Capitals after leaving behind his LSG captaincy job.
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While speaking on his YouTube channel, Wasim Jaffer said “If Delhi Capitals even offer him the captaincy, I think he should say no. You know, the way KL has done it, he is enjoying his time as a player. There is a lot of pressure when you have to lead a franchise: the pressure from the owners, the expectations, the pressure from the fans, plus you have to focus on your own performance. On top of that, he is also a wicketkeeper and has to bat.”
Rishabh Pant on a trail of two flop IPL seasons
Compatible to Wasim Jaffer’s claims, Rishabh Pant has endured underwhelming IPL seasons in the last two years. Ever since he joined the LSG as their captain in IPL 2025 a couple of years ago, the cricketer has aggregated just 581 runs in 26 innings at a dismal average of 26.40.
Moreover, Pant charted just three fifty-plus scores in the process, with the highest of them being an epic 118* in a losing cause against the RCB.
Outside LSG, the blistering middle-order batter averages a prolific 35.31 in the IPL after playing 110 matches for the Delhi Capitals between the years 2016 and 2024. The cricketer holds an astonishing strike rate of nearly 150, and has charted 19 fifties and one century for them.
What is Rishabh Pant captaincy record in IPL
With Wasim Jaffer urging Rishabh Pant to refuse any captaincy offer to focus on his own form, the attacking wicketkeeper-batter also holds a dismal record as an IPL captain, at least for the LSG.
Overall, for both the LSG and Delhi Capitals franchise, Pant has captained 71 times in the IPL, yielding only 33 wins in return at an expense of 36 defeats.
Given his recent struggles with the bat and captaincy record, Pant may be better off focusing on rediscovering his best form before taking on the added responsibility of leading Delhi Capitals once again.
