Rishabh Pant's cryptic Instagram post viral after Delhi captain's one-match IPL ban

Delhi captain Rishabh Pant came up with a cryptic Instagram post, a day after he was handed a one-match ban for maintaining slow over-rate during an IPL 2024 match on Tuesday. Pant did not take the field during their must-win game against RCB in Bengaluru on Sunday, May 12. Axar Patel was leading DC while Pant travelled to Bengaluru to cheer for the team in their crunch game.

Hours before the match, Pant shared an Instagram post with the caption: "Can't say much". Pant shared a hazy winter morning image with text that read -- "The only thing we have power over in the universe is our own thoughts."

Pant became the first captain to be banned for an over-rate offence in IPL 2024. The in-form wicketkeeper-batter was penalised after Delhi's third over-rate offence in the season. Pant was initially fined Rs 12 lakh and then Rs 24 lakh for the first two over-rate offences and was handed a ban for the third one.

Notably, stand-in captain Axar Patel revealed that Risabh Pant was angry with the ban after he learnt about it in the hotel room on the eve of their match in Bengaluru. Notably, Delhi had appealed against the ban, however, it was turned down after the BCCI Ombudsman conducted a hearing, an IPL release said.

Pant's absence was a big miss for Delhi as the wicketkeeper-batter has not just been firing with the bat, but has been terrific behind the wickets, marshaling the troops. Delhi had put themselves in the race for the play-offs by winning three of their last four matches and needed a win on Sunday to keep their hopes alive.

Despite Pant's absence, Delhi managed to limit RCB to 187. However, their batting failed as they were reeling at 90 for 6 in 11 overs after losing the likes of Jake-Fraser McGurk, David Warner, Tristan Stubbs. Stand-in captain Axar was the lone warrior with the bat even as the asking rate kept creeping up in Bengaluru.