IPL: Wasim Jaffer advises Rishabh Pant to skip DC captaincy
What's the story
Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer has advised Rishabh Pant to turn down any potential offer for the captaincy of Delhi Capitals in the upcoming IPL 2027 season. Jaffer believes that instead of taking on such a huge responsibility, Pant should focus on regaining his form and making a comeback into India's white-ball teams. The advice comes as Pant prepares to return to DC after two paltry seasons with Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Pressure points
'There is a lot of pressure'
Jaffer emphasized the immense pressure that comes with leading a franchise.
"If Delhi Capitals even offer him the captaincy, I think it is better for him to say no," Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.
"There is a lot of pressure when you have to lead a franchise, the pressure from the owners, the expectations, the pressure from the fans, plus you have to focus on your own performance. On top of that, he is also a wicketkeeper and has to bat."
He also pointed out that Pant has to focus on his own batting performance as well as wicket-keeping duties.
Captaincy challenges
Pant's captaincy stint with LSG
Pant's captaincy stint with LSG hasn't been particularly successful either, with the team missing out on playoffs in both seasons.
He struggled with managing multiple backroom voices in Lucknow, a challenge he may face again in Delhi.
Jaffer believes that Pant's batting average and strike-rate have been slightly better without the burden of captaincy responsibilities.
Meanwhile, Axar Patel led DC in the last two seasons, though his stint has been far from successful.
KL Rahul, who has led India across formats, is the other strong candidate for the role if the team management decides to remove Axar.
Future prospects
Jaffer confident in Pant's potential
Despite his concerns over captaincy, Jaffer remains confident in Pant's match-winning potential.
He believes that the wicketkeeper-batter can make a bigger impact without the burden of leadership.
"Rishabh's priority should be to perform well in the IPL and make his way back into the T20I and ODI teams," asserted Jaffer.
This comes as DC, under new coach Sourav Ganguly, face a tough decision on their captaincy for the IPL 2027 season.
Stats
Pant has played nine season for Capitals
Pant represented DC for nine seasons before being released ahead of the 2025 IPL auction.
The southpaw also led the Capitals in three seasons - 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Having played 111 matches, Pant is still DC's most capped player in IPL history.
While he has tallied 3,284 runs at an average of 35.31, no other batter has touched the 3,000-run mark for the franchise.
Stint
Pant's stint with LSG
Pant's exit from LSG was expected as the management decided to take the franchise in a new direction.
It was announced that he would step down as captain even before the season ended.
Under his leadership, LSG had two disappointing seasons, finishing last this year.
In 28 matches for LSG, Pant has scored 581 runs at an average of 26.40. This includes one hundred and two fifties.