The young wicket-keeper batsman, Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the captain of Delhi Capitals (DC) for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 which is scheduled to be commencing on April 2021. He will be leading the franchise for the 14th edition of the tournament, to replace injured Shreyas Iyer, who hurt his left shoulder during the recently concluded India-England ODI series.
Announcing the same, DC Chairman & Co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi said, “I would like to wish Shreyas a speedy recovery. In his absence, the franchise has collectively picked Rishabh to lead the team this year. While it has come under unfortunate circumstances, it is a tremendous opportunity for him to grow further. I wish him all the best in his new role.”
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On the other hand, co=owner, Parth Jindal said, “There is no doubt that Shreyas Iyer’s leadership and batting will be missed this year, and we hope to see him back on the field soon. Delhi Capitals as a team plays a passionate and fearless brand of cricket, and Rishabh Pant embodies that best. The Delhi team has played an important role in his growth as a cricketer, just like he has played an equally important role in the growth of the Delhi team.”
🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
Rishabh Pant will be our Captain for #IPL2021 ✨@ShreyasIyer15 has been ruled out of the upcoming season following his injury in the #INDvENG series and @RishabhPant17 will lead the team in his absence 🧢#YehHaiNayiDilli
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 30, 2021
Speaking on the latest development, Shreyas Iyer said, “When I sustained the shoulder injury, and Delhi Capitals needed a leader for this edition of the IPL, I had no doubt that Rishabh would be the best man for the job. He has all my good wishes to make amazing things happen with our absolutely incredible team.”
Accepting his new role, Rishabh Pant said, “To lead this team one day is a dream I’ve always harbored. 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.”
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Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting said, “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.”
This will be Rishabh Pant’s debut as IPL captain. He has captained Delhi’s state team in the past.
