Wasim Jaffer tells Rishabh Pant to decline DC captaincy role

Former India batter Wasim Jaffer has publicly advised Rishabh Pant to turn down the Delhi Capitals captaincy ahead of IPL 2027, arguing that a dip in form means Pant’s energy is better spent rebuilding his batting rather than shouldering leadership duties.

Pant rejoined Delhi Capitals after a trade was completed following IPL 2026. He had moved to Lucknow Super Giants for INR 27 crore at the 2025 mega auction, the highest price paid for any player at that sale, before being brought back to Delhi for INR 15 crore. The same arrangement saw Kuldeep Yadav head in the opposite direction, joining Lucknow for INR 13.50 crore.

“If Delhi Capitals even offer him the captaincy, I think it is better for him to say no. I think it is better for him to play as a player because his performance has come down,” Jaffer said on his YouTube channel.

Why does Jaffer feel captaincy would not suit Pant right now?

Jaffer’s reasoning centres on the weight of responsibility that comes with leading an IPL franchise and how that burden could compound the pressure Pant already faces as a wicketkeeper-batter trying to rediscover his best form. He also pointed to Pant’s international ambitions as a reason to keep the captaincy question at arm’s length.

“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. I think he needs to keep that aside and focus on performing as a batter, winning matches for his franchise as a batsman. I think that is what is best for Rishabh Pant. I feel Rishabh’s priority will likely be to perform well in the IPL and make his way back into the T20I and ODI teams. Captaincy won’t be his priority because he is not currently in India’s leadership group, where he could become the captain,” Jaffer said.

Pant’s two seasons at Lucknow brought little reward at team level. LSG finished seventh in IPL 2025 and tenth in IPL 2026, results that underline why a fresh start focused purely on batting carries appeal.

Who could captain Delhi Capitals in IPL 2027?

Reports from August 2026 suggest KL Rahul has become the frontrunner for the Delhi Capitals captaincy after Pant reportedly declined the role. The franchise finished sixth in IPL 2026, claiming seven wins from 14 league matches under Axar Patel, and missed the playoffs.

Pant’s record as Delhi Capitals captain between 2021 and 2024 shows 24 victories from 44 matches, a reasonable return that nonetheless did not translate into a title. Whether the franchise formally extends a fresh captaincy offer to him for IPL 2027 has not been confirmed, and Jaffer’s view is unambiguous regardless: Pant’s surest route back to prominence runs through consistent run-scoring, not the captain’s armband.

Get every cricket updates! Follow Us: