The Delhi Capitals management appointed Rishabh Pant as the skipper for IPL 2021 after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the season with a shoulder injury. He missed the last two ODIs against England post the injury and will undergo a surgery on April 8. Despite having experienced players in the squad, Pant was appointed as the captain for the next season. He is still fresh in international cricket and has no leadership experience. However, he has been a part of the franchise since 2016 and is a crucial member of the outfit. 

Reacting to Pant’s appointment, Iyer said that he had no doubt over the team’s decision. Pant was chosen over the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith and Shikhar Dhawan who had prior experience of lading IPL franchises. 

Also Read: Former India Cricketer Joins Delhi Capitals As Assistant Coach

Rishabh Pant Would Be The Best Man For The Job: Shreyas Iyer

“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. I’m going to miss the team tremendously, and will be cheering for them throughout,” Iyer has said in a release from DC.

Delhi Capitals reached the final of IPL 2020 under Shreyas Iyer’s captaincy and the co-owner has lamented his absence in the upcoming season, Iyer had partially dislocated his left shoulder in trying to save runs for his team in the outfield. He is likely to stay away from the game for 4 to 5 months after the surgery. 

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant so far has had an exception IPL career as a batsman for Delhi Capitals. In 68 IPL matches, the wicket-keeper batsman has smashed 2079 at an average of 35.2 and a phenomenal strike rate of 152. Now it’s time for a new chapter in Rishabh Pant’s career as he is all set to become one of the youngest IPL captains of all time.

Delhi Capitals will kick off their IPL 2021 campaign against Chennai Super Kings on April 10. They will play two games each in Chennai and Mumbai and then four games in Ahmedabad and their last five games in Kolkata. 

Also Read: Shreyas Iyer To Undergo Surgery On April 8: Reports