Rishabh Pant, the wicketkeeper-batsman, has been appointed as captain of the Delhi Capitals for the forthcoming IPL 2021, which starts from 9th April 2021. A statement from the franchise confirmed the development on Tuesday.
Rishabh Pant will take over as captain for the 14th edition of the IPL as Shreyas Iyer is ruled out of the tournament due to left shoulder injury sustained during the recently concluded India-England ODI series.
Kiran Kumar Grandhi, Delhi Capitals Chairman and Co-Owner said on the occasion that he wished Shreyas a speedy recovery. He mentioned that DC scaled newer heights under Shreyas' captaincy, and he will be greatly missed. The franchise has chosen Rishabh Pant to be the team's leader this season in Shreyas’s absence, and it is a great opportunity for Rishabh to grow further despite the unfortunate circumstances. The chairman also wished Rishabh all the best in his new position.
🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT 🚨
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) March 30, 2021
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
Rishabh Pant commented on his new role, saying that Delhi is where he grew up and where his IPL journey began 6 years ago. It's always been a dream of him to lead the team one day. And he is humbled today as the dream comes true, and he is truly grateful especially to their franchise owner, who trusted him as capable enough for the captain role. He pointed out that with an incredible coaching staff and plenty of experienced seniors surrounding him, he can’t wait to give his absolute best for Delhi Capitals.
Rishabh Pant will lead the team for the first time in the IPL. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has previously captained Delhi's state team.