Cricket Enthusiasts Anticipate Intense Bidding War for Rishabh Pant in Upcoming IPL Mega Auction
Former South African batting stalwart and Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) icon, AB de Villiers, believes that his former IPL franchise is unlikely to secure the services of dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant in the upcoming IPL mega auction. The much-anticipated auction is scheduled to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25.
Pant, recently released by Delhi Capitals, is expected to be the center of a fierce bidding war among franchises. De Villiers opined that Punjab Kings, led by Pant’s former Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting, could be the frontrunners to acquire the talented 27-year-old.
“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. I do feel Punjab Kings spend whatever they can to get him, that’s my personal feeling. It’s my gut feel, I feel there is a very tight connection between him and Ricky Ponting,” de Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
The former South African captain also expressed his desire for RCB to focus on strengthening their bowling department, particularly by securing a world-class spinner and local Bengaluru-based talent.
While de Villiers is skeptical about RCB’s chances of landing Pant, he believes the franchise could potentially bid for another Indian batting stalwart, KL Rahul, who might be a more affordable option.
“KL is a quality player, he might be a bit cheaper. Definitely not a bad pick, I love him to bits. The way he plays and I think he is due to come back into form. KL Rahul can also take over from Virat, he is not that old yet.”
With the IPL mega auction just around the corner, cricket enthusiasts eagerly await the intense bidding war that is expected to unfold, particularly for the services of the dynamic Rishabh Pant.
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