IPL 2025: AB De Villiers Predicts Rishabh Pant's Future Amidst Mega Auction Buzz

Former South Africa captain AB De Villiers speculates that Royal Challengers Bengaluru might not pursue Rishabh Pant in the IPL 2025 mega auction, citing high costs. Pant, released by Delhi Capitals, is expected to draw interest from other franchises, potentially aligning with Punjab Kings.

In a recent statement, former South Africa cricket icon AB De Villiers expressed doubts about Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) intentions to bid for Rishabh Pant in the highly anticipated IPL 2025 mega auction. This speculation comes amid the release of Pant from Delhi Capitals, a team he has been with since 2016.

De Villiers, speaking on his YouTube channel, noted, "I think it is incredibly unlikely that RCB will get hold of Rishabh Pant, I think he will be too expensive and all the franchises are going to go for him in the auction." He further predicted that Punjab Kings might aggressively pursue Pant, given the close connection between the player and Punjab's mentor, Ricky Ponting.

Despite his prolific run-scoring record with Delhi Capitals, where he amassed 3,284 runs in 111 matches, Pant's tenure saw mixed results as a captain. Meanwhile, RCB has opted to retain key players like Virat Kohli and aimed to strengthen their local talent pool rather than pursuing high-profile acquisitions.

(With inputs from agencies.)