IPL 2025: Rishabh Pant Plays Peacemaker to End Nitish Rana and Digvesh Rathi Feud
The Indian Premier League routinely delivers high-stakes cricket, but the tournament also holds a documented history of on-field altercations. From Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth in 2008 to the volatile exchanges between Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli, player tensions often spill over into the public eye. However, many cricketers eventually reconcile. Ahead of the IPL 2025 season, Lucknow Super Giants captain Rishabh Pant stepped in to resolve a lingering dispute between Delhi Capitals batter Nitish Rana and LSG bowler Digvesh Rathi.
Delhi Premier League Rivalry Quashed
The animosity between Rana and Rathi originated during the inaugural Delhi Premier League, where the two players engaged in a heated verbal duel. Prior to the IPL 2025 fixture between the Lucknow Super Giants and the Delhi Capitals at the Ekana Cricket Stadium, Pant actively mediated a truce.
In a training session video released by the Lucknow franchise, Pant addressed the situation directly. “Where are you going? Enough,” Pant told Rathi, prompting the two players to talk. Rana responded with a smile, stating he would have to sit with Rathi if the feud continued.
Delhi Capitals spinner Kuldeep Yadav also featured in the exchange, humorously interrupting Pant’s mediation by stating, “Bohut gyaan de diya” (You have given too much knowledge). Pant acknowledged the joke, pointing out that stubbornness was the primary issue for both Rana and Rathi before the duo finally buried the hatchet.
Lucknow Super Giants and Delhi Capitals Reset
Both franchises enter the 2025 season aiming to improve upon their 2024 campaigns, where they failed to secure playoff berths. The Delhi Capitals finished sixth with 14 points, narrowly missing out due to net run rate. The Lucknow Super Giants finished seventh with an identical point total.
Following the mega auction, both squads underwent massive leadership and personnel changes. Pant shifted to lead LSG, while KL Rahul moved to the Capitals.
Updated 2025 Squad Rosters
| Franchise | Key Roster Additions & Retentions |
|---|---|
| Lucknow Super Giants | Rishabh Pant (C), Nicholas Pooran, Josh Inglis, Aiden Markram, Mohammed Shami, Avesh Khan, Mayank Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Wanindu Hasaranga, Digvesh Rathi |
| Delhi Capitals | Axar Patel (C), KL Rahul, Nitish Rana, Mitchell Starc, Kuldeep Yadav, Tristan Stubbs, David Miller, Ben Duckett, Mukesh Kumar, T Natarajan |
Historical Context of IPL Altercations
The reconciliation between Rana and Rathi adds to a documented list of resolved conflicts in franchise cricket. Historical data from the Board of Control for Cricket in India and tournament records highlight several prominent incidents that were later settled:
- 2008: Harbhajan Singh and S Sreesanth (Slapgate incident)
- 2014: Kieron Pollard and Mitchell Starc (Bat-throwing incident)
- 2019: Ravichandran Ashwin and Jos Buttler (Non-striker run-out)
- 2013 and 2023: Gautam Gambhir and Virat Kohli (On-field altercations)
As the new season commences, the focus for both the Lucknow Super Giants and the Delhi Capitals returns entirely to securing points on the leaderboard and pushing toward playoff contention.