IPL Auction 2020: 3 teams who could have availed Rishabh Pant's services in 2016

In just 54 IPL matches, Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has already scored 1736 runs, holding the record for the highest IPL score by an Indian (128*) and effecting 44 dismissals behind the stumps. He has worked hard to reverse the Delhi Capitals' fortunes and in the 2019 season - the team finally reached the playoffs for the first time since 2012. A player who is often touted as the successor to MS Dhoni, Pant's journey to the Delhi Capitals was not easy. Here are three teams who could have purchased Pant in the 2016 Auctions.

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Mumbai Indians

The four-time champions were on the quest for their third championship win as they bid for Pant at the 2016 Auction. While Mumbai did take Pant's bid past the Rs. 1 crore mark, they did not bid for him any further. Even if Pant was purchased by the Mumbai Indians, he would have probably not gotten the success that he got for the Delhi Capitals since Mumbai already had Parthiv Patel and Ambati Rayudu in their ranks and Pant could have struggled for getting more playing time.

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Rising Pune Supergiant

The 2016 Auction was an opportunity for the then newly-formed Supergiants to make an identity for themselves. The team already has MS Dhoni in its arsenal and also began to bid for the young Rishabh Pant, getting into an intense bidding war with Mumbai Indians. The team soon withdrew its continually increasing bids and left its pursuit for Pant. The Pune team did have a very stacked up roster in 2016. So even if they purchased Rishabh Pant, he probably would not have gotten a chance to play for them as well, much like Parthiv Patel struggled for during his time at the Chennai Super Kings.

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Royal Challengers Bangalore

The Royal Challengers Bangalore were about to have a magical 2016 as Virat Kohli would smash four centuries and carry them to the finals. However, during the 2016 Auction, RCB was busy building itself yet another promising line-up. As the RPS vs MI bidding war simmered down, RCB placed their bid to avail Pant's services but could not entertain competition from the Delhi Capitals as they entered the fight at the very last minute. DC's bid won and Pant became a part of the Delhi squad. Pant's influence can only be fathomed with this, i.e. while DC bought him for a sum of Rs. 1.9 crore in 2016, they retained him for a sum of Rs. 15 crore ahead of IPL 2020.

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