Image Source: Instagram
[Saba Sports News] The Delhi Capitals (DC), known for their struggles in the Indian Premier League, recently parted ways with head coach Ricky Ponting. This move has sparked widespread speculation that another key figure, skipper Rishabh Pant, might also be on his way out. The rumors intensified after Pant’s latest Instagram post quickly went viral.
In the post, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter shared a collage of himself alongside the legendary actor Rajnikanth, both dressed in similar formal attire. Pant mimicked Rajnikanth’s iconic pose, sitting with his right leg crossed over the left, and captioned the image “Thalaiva” (leader in Tamil).
The term “Thalaiva” is a popular nickname for Rajnikanth, and fans quickly drew parallels to MS Dhoni, the former Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain, affectionately known as “Thala” by CSK supporters.
Social media buzzed with speculation that Pant might be a potential successor to Dhoni at CSK, especially as rumors suggest Dhoni may retire from the IPL soon.
However, reports indicate that DC’s Director of Cricket, Sourav Ganguly, is keen on retaining Pant as the team’s captain, despite some opposition within the franchise’s higher management.
Pant’s standout season for DC was in 2018, where he scored 684 runs in 14 games, but he hasn’t matched that performance since, with his next best being 488 runs the following season in 16 games.