'If Delhi Capitals even offer him the captaincy, it is better for him to say no' - Wasim Jaffer's advice to Rishabh Pant for IPL 2027

Rishabh Pant stepped down from his role as Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain after two disappointing seasons. In IPL 2026, LSG finished last in the points table with four wins in 14 games, while in his debut season in 2025, Pant led the franchise to six wins in 14 matches, also missing the playoff berth. The left-hander's captaincy tenure ended with the franchise confirming his departure in May. They traded in Kuldeep Yadav while sending the wicketkeeper-batter to the Delhi Capitals.

Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has now weighed in on Pant's future leadership prospects. Jaffer stated that if Delhi Capitals offer Pant the captaincy role, the wicketkeeper-batter should decline the opportunity and focus entirely on his performance as a player.

Jaffer highlighted the multiple demands placed on an IPL captain. The former opener pointed out that captaincy brings pressure from franchise owners, fan expectations and the need to maintain personal performance simultaneously. For a player like Pant, who also carries the responsibility of wicketkeeping and batting, taking on captaincy would add another layer of burden that could affect his overall contribution to the team.

"If Delhi Capitals even offer him the captaincy, I think it is better for him to say no. You know, the way KL has done it, he is enjoying his time as a player. 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." Jaffer said during a discussion on his YouTube channel.

Pant has lost his place in India's white-ball sides, and Jaffer believes the focus should be on regaining that form. The former opener stressed that Pant's immediate priority should be to perform well in the IPL and make his way back into the T20 International and One Day International teams.

Pant's path to regaining white-ball form

Jaffer drew a comparison with KL Rahul, who stepped away from captaincy and has been enjoying his time as a player without the additional responsibilities. The former opener suggested that Pant should follow a similar path and concentrate on his individual performance rather than leadership duties.

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"I think it is better for him to play as a player because, you know, his performance has come down. Again, I feel Rishabh’s priority should be to perform well in the IPL and make his way back into the T20I and ODI teams. Captaincy is not his priority because he is not currently in India’s leadership group where he could become the captain. 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," Jaffer said.

"Just play as a batsman and win matches. He has the ability to win four or five matches on his own. If he plays like that, I think that is best. So, I think the best thing for Rishabh Pant is to give up the captaincy and play as a player." he added.