Former Pakistan cricket batter Basit Ali highly praised Rishabh Pant, suggesting that the Indian wicket-keeper batter deserves a Rs 50 crore bid at the IPL 2025 Auction.
Pant’s standout performance came during India’s heavy defeat in the third Test against New Zealand in Mumbai. His batting made the pitch appear ‘flat.’
Basit highlighted Pant’s innings of 60 and 64 in the match, emphasizing his exceptional shot selection. “When Pant batted, the pitch seemed flat; he batted freely, and his shot choice was impeccable,” Basit remarked on his YouTube channel. Despite other reports estimating Pant’s auction value at Rs 25 crore, Basit believes his skills warrant a higher price.
The upcoming IPL auction is set to be exciting, with top players like KL Rahul and Pant expected to attract significant interest. Shreyas Iyer, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, Mohammed Siraj, and Mohammed Shami will also be in the auction pool, potentially sparking intense bidding wars.
The auction, planned for the third week of December, will be particularly noteworthy as it includes a Rs 75 crore retention cap for international players and the use of Right To Match cards. Teams already using their retention options must strategically fill at least 15 roster spots with the remaining budget.
Some franchises, such as Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, have substantial funds available and are likely to place aggressive bids. This auction is unique as it sees three IPL captains—Pant from Delhi Capitals, Shreyas Iyer from the defending champions KKR, and KL Rahul from Lucknow Super Giants—return to the pool, adding to the excitement and strategic complexities of the event.
Beyond the auction dynamics, Pant has expressed dissatisfaction with the limitations placed on his role by GMR, the co-owners of his team, and his relationships with the coaching staff, adding another layer of intrigue to his professional future.
