With Shreyas Iyer ruled out of the upcoming season of the IPL due to injury, Rishabh Pant has been named the Delhi Capitals captain. The Delhi franchise confirmed the same through a statement on Tuesday.
It’s been a season to remember for Rishabh Pant. It didn’t start on the best note possible. He didn’t have the best of seasons in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), and then, he was dropped from India’s white-ball squads on the tour to Australia. The Delhi-born wicket-keeper batsman didn’t even start as India’s first-choice wicket-keeper in the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. He was also criticised for his shape after the lockdown, and he had to shed lots of weight.
However, things turned and the tide reversed from the Boxing Day Test match. Pant replaced Wriddhiman Saha as the wicket-keeper in the Test side, and he hasn’t looked back since. He has smashed 801 runs in 14 matches across the three formats at an average of 53.40. The left-handed wicket-keeper batsman has scored six half-centuries and a ton as well.
He put on a stellar show on two fifth days in Australia (third and the fourth Test) before impressing against England in the four-match Test series at home. He continued that form in the T20Is before finishing the season with a couple of 70s in the ODI series.
And now, to cap it off, Pant has been named as the captain of the Delhi Capitals for the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Shreyas Iyer injured his shoulder during the first ODI against England where he jarred his shoulder while diving for a ball in the covers. It is reported that the Mumbai-born batsman is likely to undergo a surgery in the first week of April (most likely on the 8th of April). He is ruled out of the entire IPL, and it may take at least four or five months for him to recover.
Pant will take over the reigns for the upcoming season. Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane and Steve Smith, who are in the Delhi Capitals squad, have led IPL teams before and alongside Pant, were all in the fray to lead Delhi this year. However, the Delhi franchise have decided to invest in Pant, who has been in fantastic form. Pant has the experience of leading the Delhi state team, but this is the first time he will be captaining an IPL side.
Delhi is where I grew up, and where my IPL journey began six years ago. To lead this team one day is a dream I’ve always harboured. And today, as that dream comes true, I feel humbled. I am truly grateful, especially to our team owners, who considered me capable enough for this role. With an amazing coaching staff, and a plethora of accomplished seniors around me, I can’t wait to give my absolute best for Delhi Capitals,
Pant was quoted saying in a statement released by the Delhi Capitals.
Over the last couple of seasons, Delhi Capitals have improved leaps and bounds and have made it to the playoffs. They reached the final in the 2020 season as well, and it was under skipper Shreyas Iyer and head coach Ricky Ponting’s leadership. Ponting admitted that he and the coaching staff are excited to work with Pant after his successful international cricket season.
The previous two seasons under Shreyas’ leadership have been incredible, and the results speak for themselves. This is a tremendous opportunity for young Rishabh, who is coming off successful stints against Australia and England, which will no doubt give him the confidence needed to take on a new role that comes with a lot more responsibility. The coaching group is excited to work with him, and we can’t wait for the season to get started,
Ponting stated in the release.
