The exclusion of Prithvi Shaw from Mumbai's domestic squad for the 2024-25 Vijay Hazare Trophy has made several headlines in recent times. But given his ongoing struggles with form, fitness, and discipline, such a development was on the cards for the promising batter. Previously, his omission from the Mumbai Ranji squad also left Shaw immensely frustrated. 

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Shaw vents his frustration on his Instagram

Facing exclusions on both fronts has been a bitter pill to swallow for the former U-19 World Cup-winning captain. With over 100 domestic appearances for Mumbai across formats, Shaw was not only frustrated but was left baffled as to what more an individual needs to do in order to cement his place in the side.   

To express his anguish following his snub, Shaw took to Instagram to post a story that read the following:

“Tell me, God, what more do I have to see… If 65 innings, 3399 runs at an average of 55.7 with a strike rate of 126, I'm not good enough… but I will keep my faith in you, and hopefully, people believe in me still… because I will come back for sure. Om Sai Ram.”

MCA uncovers the real reason behind Shaw's snub in the Vijay Hazare Trophy

Prithvi Shaw's Instagram story did not go unnoticed by MCA. In a recent turn of events, the governing body stated that the young 23-year-old batter was dropped solely on grounds of fitness and discipline. 

Although MCA highlighted fitness and discipline as their key areas of concern, they also advised Shaw to work on his game and remain hopeful of a resounding comeback from him if all boxes are ticked.

“The fitness concern is there, but the performance is also not there currently. He needs to work on his fitness, discipline, and performance. The main issue is the fitness. You see the matches. You get the image, right? Just by looking at his frame, the fitness issues are there for everyone to see. We hope he works on these issues and makes a strong comeback. We all know his talent. It is just about him putting in the hard yards.”

Prithvi was a part of Mumbai's victorious run in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024. However, he did not make a significant contribution. Although Mumbai secured the championship, Shaw faced difficulties with his batting. Over the course of nine innings, he was unable to accumulate 200 runs, maintaining an average of less than 25 and consistently finding it challenging to perform against the new ball.

One-time IPL runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) are dreaming of setting up a special team for IPL 2025, which could end their long wait for the trophy. 

Delhi Capitals started the IPL 2025 mega auction with a 73 crore purse remaining after official spending of INR 47 crore to retain four players, including three capped and one uncapped. 

Delhi Capitals bought KL Rahul, Mitchell Starc, and T. Natarajan for more than INR 10 crore. They used RTM for Jake Fraser-McGurk and Mukesh Kumar. Some of their other crucial buys were Faf du Plessis, Harry Brook, Mohit Sharma, etc. 

Pre Auction Retentions

(Capped)

Axar Patel (Indian): INR 16.50 Crore

Kuldeep Yadav (Indian): INR 13.25 Crore

Tristian Stubbs (South African): INR 10 Crore

(Uncapped)

Abhishek Porel (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

2 capped players, or 1 capped + 1 uncapped player

Mega Auction Buys

KL Rahul (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 14 crore

Mitchell Starc (Australian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 11.75 crore

T Natarajan (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 10.75 crore

RTM Jake Fraser-McGurk (Australian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 9 crore 

RTM Mukesh Kumar (Indian): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 8 crore

Harry Brook (English): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 6.25 crore

Ashutosh Sharma (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 3.80 crore

Mohit Sharma (Indian): Base price INR 50 lakh – Bid won INR 2.20 crore

Faf du Plessis (South African): Base price INR 2 crore – Bid won INR 2 crore

Sameer Rizvi (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 95 lakh

Donovan Ferreira (South African): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 75 lakh

Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lankan): Base price INR 75 lakh – Bid won INR 75 lakh

Vipraj Nigam (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 50 lakh

Karun Nair (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 50 lakh

Madhav Tiwari (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 40 lakh

Manvanth Kumar (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Tripurana Vijay (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Darshan Nalkande (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Ajay Mandal (Indian): Base price INR 30 lakh – Bid won INR 30 lakh

Full Squad

Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, Abishek Porel, Mitchell Starc, KL Rahul, Harry Brook, Jake Fraser-McGurk, T. Natarajan, Karun Nair, Sameer Rizvi, Ashutosh Sharma, Mohit Sharma, Faf du Plessis, Mukesh Kumar, Darshan Nalkande, Vipraj Nigam, Dushmantha Chameera, Donovan Ferreira, Ajay Mandal, Manvanth Kumar, Tripurana Vijay, Madhav Tiwari.

Best Playing XI

KL Rahul, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Faf du Plessis, Tristan Stubbs/Harry Brook, Abishek Porel, Ashutosh Sharma, Axar Patel, Mitchell Starc, Mohit Sharma/Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, T. Natarajan

Indian wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul has been purchased by Delhi Capitals for the price of RS. 14 Crore. There were too many questions raised about him in the last IPL season. Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru started the bids for KL Rahul. It was said that KL Rahul might come back to his former side Royal Challengers Bengaluru. But RCB didn't go after him and opted out even KKR as well. The only teams left behind him were Delhi Capitals and Chennai Super Kings with CSK opting out it was almost confirmed that Delhi Capitals will get him. But as Lucknow Supergiants had an RTM Card it was asked if they might want to use it but they refused to use it. So, Delhi Capitals welcomed KL Rahul into their side.

KLassy entry toh banti hai boss 🙌😎 pic.twitter.com/1U9MIU94xb

— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) November 24, 2024

KL Rahul in the IPL 2024 Season

Wicketkeeper batter KL Rahul had an average 2024 season as he scored 520 runs in 14 matches with an average of 37.14. He was able to score four half-centuries last season. Recently many questions were raised about his performance in white-ball format despite that Delhi Capitals backed him and bought him into the team. KL Rahul can bat at the top even if he can lead the side.

See Also:- Pant beats Shreyas to become most expensive player in IPL history

Lucknow Super Giants refused to use Right To Match (RTM) Card

The tension between KL Rahul and Lucknow Supergiants was raised when KL Rahul opted to enter into the auction ahead of the IPL Retention deadline. Lucknow Super Giants didn't look interested in buying back the skipper and even at the end when they were asked about using the Right To Match card they refused to use it on him.

Petition to officially call this the Chaat derby @DelhiCapitals?💙❤️ pic.twitter.com/gvCn4SxhNm

— Lucknow Super Giants (@LucknowIPL) November 24, 2024

The Lucknow Super Giants admin on X (former Twitter) posted a meme about Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul switching the IPL teams.

Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant is arguably the in-demand name in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 mega auction. He clarified that his departure from Delhi Capitals was not due to any disagreement with the franchise regarding his retention fee. Pant responded after Sunil Gavaskar suggested that he might have left the franchise due to a dispute over his retention fee. However, Pant confirmed this wasn't true.

Star Sports shared a video ahead of the IPL 2025 Mega Auction, Sunil Gavaskar said that sometimes players may leave their franchises to understand their true value in auction. As Pant's case isn't the same, Gavaskar expects that the wicketkeeper batter will be targeted by Delhi once again in the Auction.

See Also:- Daniel Vettori to attend IPL Auction amid First BGT Test

Sunil Gavaskar talks about Pant returning to Delhi Capitals

"Delhi would certainly want Rishabh Pant back in the squad. Sometimes when a player is to be retained, there is talk between the player and franchise about the fees that is expected. As you can see, some of the players who have been retained by the franchise, they've gone for more than what the No. 1 retention fee would've been. Maybe there was some disagreement over there (fees). "My feeling is Delhi would definitely want Pant back because they need a captain as well. If Rishabh Pant is not in their squad then they have to look for a new captain,".

The curious case of Rishabh Pant & Delhi! 🧐

🗣 Hear it from #SunilGavaskar as he talks about the possibility of @RishabhPant17 returning to the Delhi Capitals!

📺 Watch #IPLAuction 👉 NOV 24th & 25th, 2:30 PM onwards on Star Sports Network & JioCinema! pic.twitter.com/ugrlilKj96

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) November 19, 2024

Reacting to the video, Pant said his departure from the franchise wasn't about money.

"My retention wasn't about the money for sure that I can say," Rishabh Pant said in his reply to the post on X, formerly Twitter.

Rishabh Pant is expected to have all 10 franchised bidding for him. But as per the purse, he will likely join Punjab Kings, Lucknow Supergiants, or Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Even his return to DC via RTM can be ruled out.

One-time IPL runners-up Delhi Capitals (DC) have announced the retention of the IPL 2025.

Delhi Capitals, formerly known as Delhi Daredevils, reached the semi-finals of the first two editions of the IPL (2008 and 2009). After playing in the playoffs in the IPL 2012, they missed the top four finishes for the straight six years. 

After reaching the playoffs for three successive IPL seasons since 2019, Delhi Capitals failed to finish in the top four in the last three seasons. They played their only IPL final in the 2020 editions, which Mumbai Indians won and Capitals finished as the runners-up.  

Since the IPL 2021, Rishabh Pant has been leading the Delhi Capitals. In his absence, David Warner led the team during the IPL 2023. Last season, Axar Patel played the stand-in captain role in the absence of Pant. 

Delhi Capitals' player retention

Delhi Capitals have retained four players for INR 43.75 crore, including three capped and one uncapped. As their official deduction is INR 47 crore (18cr+14cr+11cr+4cr), they can use the remaining 73 crores during the mega auction. 

(Capped)

Axar Patel (Indian): INR 16.50 Crore

Kuldeep Yadav (Indian): INR 13.25 Crore

Tristian Stubbs (South African): INR 10 Crore

(Uncapped)

Abhishek Porel (Indian): INR 4 Crore

Right-to-Match (RTM) card availability for the mega auction

2 capped players, or 1 capped + 1 uncapped player

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant had an impressive IPL 2024, scoring 446 runs in 13 matches. Despite this the team doesn’t seem fully satisfied with the 26 year old’s performance.

Reports say that Rishabh Pant might be transferred from Delhi Capitals to Chennai Super Kings before the IPL 2025 mega auction. According to Dainik Jagran, DC is debating whether to keep Pant or let him go due to concerns about his recent form.

There’s also a chance Pant could be traded to another team, but DC’s Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly, appears interested in keeping him as captain.

Dhoni’s potential retirement and Its impact

If DC decides to release Pant he might join Chennai Super Kings. The team is looking for a wicketkeeper to potentially replace MS Dhoni if he retires from the IPL, and Pant is a top candidate for the job. Dhoni’s future in the IPL is uncertain with a chance he might not play in 2025.

Pant made a strong comeback this season after recovering from a car accident in December 2022. He scored 446 runs, including three half-centuries, and also played as India’s No. 3 batsman in the T20 World Cup 2024, where he scored 171 runs in eight matches.

RCB’s search for an Indian captain

Meanwhile, KL Rahul might leave Lucknow Super Giants after a three year period. Following a tough 10 wicket loss to Sunrisers Hyderabad, LSG owner Sanjiv Goenka criticized Rahul, casting doubt on his future with the team.

Rahul could return to Royal Challengers Bangalore, a team he played for in 2013 and 2016. Under Faf du Plessis RCB reached the IPL playoffs this season, but they were eliminated in the Eliminator by Rajasthan Royals. Reports suggest RCB is considering an Indian player as captain, and if Rahul joins he might take on that role.

Former Indian captain and Board Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly slammed critics who earlier blasted him for making Rohit Sharma the skipper in early 2022. Ganguly also feels Rohit can lead India to glory and it happened in the recently concluded T20 World Cup. However, the same critics have almost forgotten who made the decision then.

After Virat Kohli was forced to step down from captaincy following India’s poor 2021 T20 World Cup campaign and was replaced by Rohit in a few months, Ganguly faced criticism on social media from fans. However, in a conversation with Ajkaal today, he gave a stern reminder to critics as well.

“When I handed Rohit Sharma the captaincy of the Indian team, everyone criticised me. Now that India has won the T20 World Cup under the captaincy of Rohit Sharma, everyone has stopped abusing me for it. In fact, I think everyone has forgotten that it was I who appointed him as the captain of the Indian team,” said Ganguly.

SEE ALSO: ‘It’s coming home’ – Team India to reach New Delhi on Thursday

“I want DC to win this time” – Sourav Ganguly

However, Team India did exceptionally well throughout the 2024 T20 World Cup to become the first-ever side to win the title without a single defeat as well. They also qualified for the 2023 World Test Championship (WTC) and ODI World Cup final under Rohit Sharma but failed to win.

Meanwhile, Sourav Ganguly, Director of Cricket for the Delhi Capitals (DC), also wanted the franchise to break through and win the elusive IPL title. However, the franchise separated from seven-year head coach Ricky Ponting, who was at the top from 2018 to 2024 as well. After three consecutive playoff runs from 2019 to 2021, they missed the top four in the three seasons since then as well.

“I am planning for the next IPL. I want DC to win this time. I will speak to the management about appointing an Indian as the head coach. I want to give a shot as the head coach. I will bring in some new players,” added Sourav Ganguly.

Sourav Ganguly, who used to lead India’s cricket team, said that Ricky Ponting won’t be coaching Delhi Capitals in the next Indian Premier League season. Ponting has been coaching Delhi Capitals since 2018. Before that, he coached Mumbai Indians and helped them win the IPL in 2015. However, Delhi Capitals still haven’t won their first IPL title under his coaching.

While Ponting was coach, Delhi Capitals made it to the IPL final for the first time, but they didn’t win. Their recent performances have been disappointing, including this year’s IPL where they finished sixth with 7 wins and 7 losses. They haven’t made the playoffs since 2022.

Ponting’s coaching journey with Delhi Capitals

To turn things around, Delhi Capitals decided to part ways with Ricky Ponting. Sourav Ganguly, who directs cricket operations for the team, confirmed the news. Ganguly emphasized that Ponting couldn’t lead the team forward during his 7 years as head coach.

Ganguly expressed his goal of winning the IPL title next year and taking charge as head coach. He also mentioned plans to hire Indian coaches for the team.

“I have to plan for next year’s IPL. I want to win the IPL for Delhi Capitals once. The mega auction is next year, and hence I have started planning from now on,” Sourav Ganguly told

“Let me break a news. head Ricky Ponting will not be the coach of Delhi Capitals. Geoffrey Boycott was right, as Ponting has not been able to take the franchise forward in the past 7 years. I have to speak with the franchise and ask them to look at Indian coaches. I will be the head coach. Let’s see how I perform,” he added.

The Delhi Capitals had several commendable individual performances in IPL 2024, but a lack of cohesive team efforts resulted in a middling season, leaving them at sixth place on the points table. Despite this, there are positives for the franchise to build on. One of the standout aspects was the remarkable return of Rishabh Pant, who made a strong comeback to cricket.

Pant emerged as the team’s highest run-scorer, amassing 446 runs in 13 innings at a strike rate exceeding 155, while maintaining an impressive average of 40.54. His consistent performances were a beacon of hope for the Capitals amidst their struggles. Before the season began, Delhi Capitals were banking on David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, and Mitchell Marsh to shoulder the bulk of the scoring responsibilities, especially with Pant making his return from injury.

Unfortunately, a combination of injuries and poor form plagued the team, putting them on the backfoot early in the competition. The Capitals managed only one win in their first five matches, a slow start that ultimately hindered their playoff aspirations. Despite these setbacks, the individual brilliance of players like Pant provided glimpses of what the team is capable of, offering a foundation for future campaigns.

See Also: IPL 2024: CSK Review: What factors contributed to the Yellow Army’s inability to retain the IPL title?

DC’s Inconsistent top order

One of the primary reasons for the Delhi Capitals’ inconsistency in IPL 2024 was their unsettled top order. Throughout their 14 games, DC experimented with 11 different top-order (1-3) combinations and five different opening pairs. Shaw and Warner were the most frequent opening duo, partnering five times. Warner’s performance was underwhelming; in eight innings, he scored 168 runs, averaging 21 and striking at 134.40.

His appearances were sporadic, hampered by a hand injury midway through the tournament. Similarly, Mitchell Marsh, who was anticipated to be a key player, was ruled out due to a hamstring injury after scoring just 61 runs in four innings. Shaw, despite his proven record as an IPL opener, was inconsistent, managing 198 runs in eight innings at an average of 24.75.

The Capitals’ top-order struggles were evident, and it wasn’t until after the first five games that they introduced Jake Fraser-McGurk. The Australian made an immediate impact, scoring a 35-ball fifty in his first match of the season, batting at number three. Despite this promising performance, the instability in the top order had already cost DC crucial matches, highlighting the team’s struggle to find a reliable and effective combination. This lack of consistency at the top was a significant factor in their inability to build momentum throughout the season.

DC’s Expensive bowlers

Similarly, in the bowling department, despite some commendable individual performances, Delhi Capitals struggled to contain the scoring rate. The team recorded the second-worst economy rate of the season at 9.93, just slightly better than Sunrisers Hyderabad’s 10.03. Khaleel Ahmed managed to handle the new ball relatively well, finishing with 17 wickets and maintaining an economy of 8.87 in the first six overs, during which he picked up eight wickets. Mukesh Kumar also took 17 wickets but proved to be slightly more expensive.

The spinners, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel, performed their roles effectively, contributing 16 and 11 wickets respectively, totaling 27 wickets between them. However, the collective bowling effort fell short, and the inability to maintain a tighter economy rate was a significant factor in DC’s inability to control matches, ultimately affecting their overall performance and standing in the tournament.

Delhi Capitals concluded their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 league stage with a 19-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants. This win keeps their playoff hopes mathematically alive, but the odds remain slim. True to their form in this auction cycle, Delhi saved their worst performances and luck for the critical moments. They lost four of their first five matches but managed to turn things around by winning four of their next five. However, instead of capitalizing on this momentum, they dropped a crucial game against Kolkata that could have propelled them to the second spot on the points table.

On the other hand, there’s a degree of empathy warranted for their plight, particularly when considering the unfortunate dismissal of Jake Fraser-McGurk in a must-win match against RCB. Despite their efforts, Delhi’s campaign was marked by missed opportunities and misfortune at key junctures, highlighting the fine margins that define success and failure in the IPL.

See Also: IPL 2024: Team Analysis: What factors make SRH’s batting side so lethal this season?

In-depth Analysis of Delhi Capitals Performance in IPL 2024

Delhi Capitals introduced several new players to their roster this year, many of whom performed exceptionally well. Among them, two breakout stars stood out. Tristan Stubbs came in with high expectations, having smashed sixes for fun in the 2024 SA20. In the IPL 2024, he exceeded those expectations, amassing 378 runs at an average of 54 and a strike rate of 190.9. These stellar numbers suggest that Delhi finally has an established finisher in their lineup.

At the top of the order, Jake Fraser-McGurk (JFM) made an explosive impact. Delhi’s winning streak began with his debut, where he scored 55 off 35 balls. Promoted to the top of the order, he maintained a strike rate of 238.6—the highest of the season for any opener with at least 200 runs. Three of his four fifties came in quick succession, scored off 15, 19, and 19 balls respectively. If there were an award for the best replacement player of the season, this 22-year-old from Australia would likely be the frontrunner.

Who would have thought that Abishek Porel and Jake Fraser-McGurk would become Delhi’s standout opening pair of the season? Porel excelled in his role at the top of the order, scoring 327 runs at a strike rate of 159.5. On the bowling front, Rasikh Dar proved reliable in high-pressure situations, particularly when defending totals.

Heading into the tournament, Delhi’s spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel were highlighted as one of the squad’s few strengths. True to form, both have finished among the top five spinners this season—Axar for his impressive economy rate of 7.7 and Kuldeep for taking 16 wickets in just 11 matches. Consequently, Delhi Capitals boasted one of the most formidable spin bowling attacks in the tournament.

Rishabh Pant’s return was a more significant narrative in this IPL than the Delhi Capitals’ overall performance. His batting form experienced fluctuations, but he emerged as the side’s highest run-scorer with 446 runs, the second most by a wicketkeeper-batter this year. He averaged 40.6 at a strike rate of 155.4, with a top score of 88 not out that decimated Gujarat’s bowling attack.

However, Pant’s inconsistency was evident in several innings. His struggle to maintain DC’s momentum in the middle overs proved costly in a few run chases. The left-hander often appeared to play too many shots, frequently losing his balance. Overall, his performance was a return to the Rishabh Pant we know—both frustrating and brilliant in equal measure.