Reports: In pursuit of Rishabh Pant, CSK likely to release Ravindra Jadeja

Star keeper-batter Rishabh Pant is very likely to part ways with Delhi Capitals ahead of the IPL 2025 mega-auction. The player and his agent had a long meeting with both GMR and JSW group on October 30 but they haven’t come to a conclusion. The franchise however remains interested in Pant and believes that things can change before the retention deadline but as things stand, Pant is on his way to the auction table.

Five-time champions Chennai Super Kings are interested in buying Pant for the next season. They view him as MS Dhoni’s long-term replacement and are likely to spend a huge chunk on the 27-year-old. However, if they retain five players, CSK won’t have enough funds to push for Pant in the auction as franchises like RCB and PBKS will have a bigger purse. 

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Keeping that in mind, CSK are willing to let go Ravindra Jadeja and free up space. As per The Indian Express, the Ruturaj Gaikwad-led side is in no mood to part ways with the all-rounder and may use RTM to buy him back. The team management is still working on their retention strategy and a late twist can be expected.

Notably, CSK management is aware that if Pant comes to the auction table, he is very likely to be sold for over INR 20 crore. In that case, they won’t have enough purse to bid for Pant, a player they want very desperately. Meanwhile, over the years, the franchise has made some bold decisions when it comes to retention as they have let go the likes of Suresh Raina, Faf du Plessis and Dwayne Bravo in the past and it won’t be surprising if they follow the same route for Jadeja.

The sure-shot retentions for CSK so far are Gaikwad, Shivam Dube, Matheesha Pathirana and MS Dhoni in the uncapped category. The decision regarding Jadeja needs to be seen as the franchise is keeping a close eye on the development of Pant as DC owners have not yet given up on him.