'Real loss': Irfan Pathan’s bold message for Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals before IPL retention cut-off

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Updated: Oct 31, 2024, 02:56 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan urges Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders to retain their star players, Rishabh Pant and Shreyas Iyer, respectively, for IPL 2025. Speculations arise as Pant and Iyer might be released, despite their significant contributions and leadership roles in their respective teams.

'Real loss': Irfan Pathan’s bold message for Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals before IPL retention cut-off

Irfan Pathan (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

Delhi Capitals and Kolkata Knight Riders have been advised to keep their key players for the IPL 2025 season. With the IPL franchises needing to finalize player retentions by Thursday, reports are indicating possible decisions regarding player retentions and releases.
Teams are allowed to retain up to six players from their 2024 squads, with a limit of five international capped players, either Indian or overseas. According to the Times of India (TOI), Delhi Capitals might release Rishabh Pant, who was their captain in 2024.
Also See: Live Cricket Score

Similarly, Kolkata Knight Riders are considering letting go of their captain, Shreyas Iyer, who led them to victory in the last season. Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan said, "If KKR decides to let Iyer go after lifting the title in his captaincy, it would be a great loss for the team."
Pathan also expressed his hopes that Delhi Capitals will retain Pant due to his potential and market value as a player and captain.
The official announcement on player retentions will be made soon.

"If Shreyas Iyer isn't retained after leading the team to an IPL title, it'd be a real loss. Hoping Delhi also works to keep Rishabh Pant--his potential as both a player and captain, along with his market value, is massive. " Pathan wrote on X.
Cricket fans are abuzz regarding Rishabh Pant's recent social media post. Pant questioned his future in the auction, asking, "If go to the auction. Will I be sold or not and for how much ??".
Pant has been with the Delhi-based franchise since 2016 and began leading the team in 2021.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

End of Article