IPL 2023: The Indian Premier League 2023 is just three days away from getting kicked off as Chennai Super Kings will face Gujarat Titans in the tournament opener. The 16th edition of the tournament will be back with the home and away format and the teams will aim for the coveted trophy in the high-profile Indian tournament. Meanwhile, 2020 runners-up Delhi Capitals are mulling over the wicket-keeping replacement of Rishabh Pant.
Pant is undergoing treatment for his severe car crash and has been ruled out of the IPL 2023. The Capitals announced David Warner as the captain of the team but completely filling the void of someone like Pant is out of one single player's capability. The franchise are facing serious questions over Pant's replacement behind the wickets. According to a report by ESPNCricinfo, DC are getting Manish Pandey and Sarfaraz Khan ready with the gloves for a short-term basis and have also called four Indian wicket-keepers - Luvnith Sisodia, Sheldon Jackson, Abishek Porel and Vivek Singh. Though they have Phil Salt in the squad, he has not produced good returns in the recent games.
Rishabh Pant in action
Ponting stressed on Pant's absence
Apart from wicket-keeping, Capitals would also be looking for middle-order power hitters in Pant's absence. The team can try Rovman Powell or Sarfaraz Khan in the middle. Ponting also stressed on how Pant's absence in the middle order will be felt much more now. "So when we are talking about losing some power in middle-order, Rovman Powell, Aman Khan and someone like Axar Patel, whose batting has improved a lot in the last 12 months, we will find ways to cover for Rishabh, but we will not get same quality guy," Ponting said.
"Aman Khan is one that has really impressed us and we traded Shardul with KKR to get him in and he has been highly impressive and I don't know how much you have seen of him and his last couple of days at training has been pretty special."
Delhi Capitals squad:
Axar Patel, Prithvi Shaw, Anrich Nortje, David Warner (C), Mitchell Marsh, Sarfaraz Khan, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Mustafizur Rahman, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Chetan Sakariya, Lalit Yadav, Ripal Patel, Yash Dhull, Rovman Powell, Pravin Dubey, Lungi Ngidi, Vicky Ostwal, Aman Khan, Phil Salt, Ishant Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Manish Pandey, Rilee Rossouw.
