Delhi Capitals on Tuesday confirmed Rishabh Pant as their captain for the Indian Premier League 2024. The wicket-keeper batter, who makes a return to competitive cricket, takes over the reins from Australia's David Warner. The Capitals confirmed the development in a press release.
"Rishabh Pant will captain Delhi Capitals in the upcoming edition of Indian Premier League. The wicketkeeper-batter is making a return to professional cricket after 14 months, and has been a part of the Delhi Capitals pre-season preparatory camp in Vizag," DC said in a statement.
DC chairman and team's co-owner Parth Jindal said that the team is delighted to welcome Pant as their captain for the new season. "We are delighted to welcome Rishabh back as our Captain. Grit and fearlessness have always dictated his brand of cricket, and not surprisingly, even his road to recovery. I can’t wait to see him walk our team out once again as we look forward to a new season with renewed passion, vigour and enthusiasm," he said.
The franchise also shared a video to welcome their skipper. Here is the video.
Another co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi also heaped praise on Rishabh's comeback into competitive cricket. “Rishabh has worked incredibly hard during one of the most challenging phases of his life. I have no doubt his teammates will take immense inspiration from that as they embark upon a new season. Captain Rishabh and the team has our best wishes," Grandhi said.
Pant has already hit the ground running for the Capitals in practice sessions. Recently, he was cleared by BCCI to feature in the Indian cash-rich tournament as a wicket-keeper batter. "After undergoing an extensive 14-month rehab and recovery process, following a life-threatening road mishap on December 30th, 2022, Rishabh Pant has now been declared fit as a wicket-keeper batter for the upcoming TATA IPL 2024," the Indian Board said in a statement on March 12.
Delhi Capitals will play their first match of the tournament against Punjab Kings on March 23 in Chandigarh. According to the initial schedule announced by the IPL governing body, DC will be playing their home games in Visakhapatnam and not in Delhi to give more time to prepare pitches for IPL after hosting several WPL games.
