November 10, 2024: AB de Villiers’ comments about Rishabh Pant and the likely course of action for Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the upcoming IPL 2025 mega auction reflect a few key insights about the dynamics of team building in the IPL.
De Villiers believes that Pant, despite his evident talent and potential, may be too expensive for RCB to target, especially with many other franchises likely to bid aggressively for him. Pant’s form, especially his impressive comeback season with Delhi Capitals (DC), where he scored 446 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of over 155, makes him an attractive player. However, De Villiers points out that RCB’s focus should likely be on reinforcing their bowling department, particularly in securing a world-class spinner, as well as ensuring the inclusion of strong local talent—something that has been a concern for RCB in the past.
He also suggests that Punjab Kings could be a potential landing spot for Pant, due to his connection with Ricky Ponting, the former DC head coach, and the possibility that Punjab might be willing to pay a premium to secure the wicketkeeper-batter. Pant’s connection with Ponting, who has coached him at DC, could indeed influence a franchise’s decision to pursue him aggressively.
RCB’s retention strategy, with the focus on key players like Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, and Yash Dayal, is also in line with the franchise’s need to build a balanced squad, which is why de Villiers advocates for investing in local players and improving their bowling attack. The reference to Anil Kumble’s earlier comments about RCB not retaining enough local talent underlines this sentiment, making it clear that they need to strike a better balance in their recruitment strategy.
Pant’s release by Delhi Capitals adds another layer of intrigue, and while the franchise has retained players like Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, and Tristan Stubbs, there is no doubt that Pant’s future is one of the most anticipated storylines heading into the mega auction.
RCB, despite being one of the more star-studded franchises in IPL history, still has some areas that need improvement, especially in terms of squad depth and balance. If they want to make a serious bid for the title, strengthening their bowling department and finding the right mix of foreign and local talent will be crucial, whether or not Pant is part of their plans.
