"Don’t be surprised if they get Rishabh Pant by IPL 2025" - Deep Dasgupta on CSK targeting DC skipper as MS Dhoni's replacement

Former Indian wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta recently said that current Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant could play for the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the IPL in 2025.

Pant has been progressing well in his injury recovery from the car accident he was involved in, in December 2022. He joined Delhi's camp in Kolkata but did not participate in the training sessions during his visit.

Having missed the IPL 2023, the 26-year-old is on track to play in the upcoming edition, as per the latest developments.

Meanwhile, MS Dhoni captained CSK to their record-leveling fifth IPL title last season despite struggling with a knee injury. While he will almost certainly play in 2024, there remains a cloud over his participation after next season at 42.

In a video on his official Twitter handle, Dasgupta claimed that Pant could potentially replace Dhoni in the CSK setup from 2025.

"Don’t be surprised if they get Rishabh Pant by IPL 2025," Dasgupta said. "MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant are very close. Obviously, Rishabh adores MS, and MS also likes him very much. They spend a lot of time together.

"Their connection and Rishabh’s thinking are very similar, considering he is very attacking and positive. He’s always talking about winning and what not."

In his absence, Delhi endured a dismal season. They finished second from bottom in the points table and were the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention.

With the mega auction set before the 2025 IPL season, it will be interesting to see if Pant playing for CSK becomes an actuality.

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CSK and DC release a host of players before the 2024 IPL auction

Ben Stokes was among the biggest names released ahead of the auction.

Despite finishing at the opposite ends of the spectrum last season, both CSK and DC released several players ahead of the mini-auction on December 19.

Chennai released England all-rounder Ben Stokes after he deemed himself unavailable for next season. They also let go of other overseas players like Dwaine Pretorius, Kyle Jamieson, and Sisanda Magala.

The now-retired Ambati Rayudu along with three other Indian players were also released to free up a purse value of ₹31.4 crore for the auction.

Meanwhile, Delhi released a staggering 11 players from their squad, including overseas stars like Rilee Rossouw, Rovman Powell, Phil Salt, and Mustafizur Rahman.

Several Indian players - Chetan Sakariya, Manish Pandey, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Ripal Patel, Sarfaraz Khan, Aman Khan, and Priyam Garg - were also released to boost their purse to ₹28.95 crore.