Legendary South African batter AB de Villiers said he was not surprised by Rishabh Pant's return to Delhi Capitals after a disappointing two-year spell with Lucknow Super Giants. Pant had joined LSG for a record-breaking INR 27 crore, but the move failed to deliver the success either side had hoped for. The wicketkeeper-batter struggled to produce his best cricket and endured an inconsistent 2026 IPL campaign, scoring 312 runs at a strike rate of 138.05. LSG also failed to meet expectations, and Pant stepped down as captain at the end of the season. Ahead of the IPL auction, he completed a move back to Delhi Capitals, the franchise where he made his name. The reunion came with a significant pay cut, as Delhi secured his services for INR 15 crore.
De Villiers believes Pant's return to Delhi Capitals was always on the cards, pointing to the wicketkeeper-batter's visible frustration during his time with Lucknow Super Giants. The former South Africa captain said Pant's post-match interviews hinted that things were not going smoothly behind the scenes, making the reunion with his former franchise unsurprising.
"No surprises there after the season they've had and looking at some of his post-match interviews, there were already signs of him being frustrated and maybe the frustration is coming from the ownership and coaching staff as well. So he is returning back to DC," he said on his YouTube channel.
ABD not a big fan of DC ownership cycle
De Villiers also expressed concerns over the constant changes within the Delhi Capitals setup, saying frequent shifts in ownership and coaching personnel can leave players struggling to adapt. He believes stability is crucial for building a successful team.
{{/usCountry}}De Villiers also expressed concerns over the constant changes within the Delhi Capitals setup, saying frequent shifts in ownership and coaching personnel can leave players struggling to adapt. He believes stability is crucial for building a successful team.
{{/usCountry}}"Sourav Ganguly joins DC now as the director of cricket, Yuvraj also there as batting coach, with Pant returning. So we'll see the dynamic with that. I feel it is a bit wishy-washy, doing this whole ownership change, the coaching staff comes and goes, it's really difficult for players to react to that and have a positive mindset with all these changes taking place. It can be confusing and there is no doubt about that," he stated.
The former South Africa captain also pointed to DC's alternating ownership model, admitting he has never been convinced by the arrangement. De Villiers said Pant's return, coinciding with another ownership cycle, only added to the uncertainty surrounding the franchise.
"It is also interesting how Pant skipped the two-year GMR cycle. JSW coming back in now, we'll see how they go with their two-year ownership. All confusing, you know, I am not a big fan of that," he added.