Rishabh Pant's 'Thalaiva' Social Media Post Sparks Speculations About Possible Move To CSK In IPL 2025

Rishabh Pant's recent 'Thalaiva' post on social media has fuelled rumours of a potential move to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the next season of the Indian Premiere League (IPL).

Rishabh Pant, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter and the Delhi Capitals (DC) captain in the Indian Premier League (IPL), made the internet go gaga by recreating the iconic pose of the Indian cinema legend Rajnikanth from the Tamil blockbuster film 'Kabali' and posting the picture on social media. Interestingly, former India captain MS Dhoni also uploaded a similar picture of himself back in 2016 which led a section of the social media users speculating that Rishabh Pant might be seen in the MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings (CSK) colours in IPL 2025.

Pant shared a collage featuring himself and the legendary actor Rajinikanth, with both seated in identical poses. In the photo, Pan is striking Rajinikanth's iconic 'Thalaiva' pose, with the caption "Thalaiva," meaning 'leader' or 'boss' in Tamil. 

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Here's what Rishabh Pant posted on August 20:

The post immediately drew comparisons to a similar one by MS Dhoni in 2016, sparking speculation that Pant might be hinting at a potential move to CSK. With Dhoni's IPL future uncertain due to knee issues, fans are wondering if Pant is signalling his readiness to take over Dhoni's role at CSK.

Here's what MS Dhoni had posted back in 2016:

Here's some of the social media reactions on Rishabh Pant's post:

Speculations Around Rishabh Pant's Future At Delhi Capitals

It is worth noting that after Ricky Ponting's departure from Delhi Capitals, speculations had arisen about Rishabh Pant possibly leaving the franchise as well. Despite strong lineups, DC have underachieved, with their best performance being runners-up in the 2020 IPL. 

Rumours about Pant's future also surfaced, especially after his return in IPL 2024 following a year-long recovery from a car accident. A few media reports also suggested that the franchise is unhappy with Pant's growth as a captain, despite his impressive performance as a player.

However, another media report confirmed that Delhi Capitals' director of cricket, Sourav Ganguly, supports Rishabh Pant continuing as the franchise's captain.