Rishabh Pant named Delhi Capitals captain for IPL 2021 as Iyer is ruled out

Pant will step in as captain for the 14th edition of the tournament, for injured Shreyas Iyer, who hurt his left shoulder during the recently concluded India-England ODI series.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has been named the captain of Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 which begins from April 2021. The franchise confirmed the development on Tuesday through a statement.

Rishabh Pant (Twitter)

Pant will step in as captain for the 14th edition of the tournament, for injured Shreyas Iyer, who hurt his left shoulder during the recently concluded India-England ODI series.

“I would like to wish Shreyas a speedy recovery,” said DC Chairman & Co-owner Kiran Kumar Grandhi on the occasion, “Under Shreyas’ captaincy, our team reached newer heights, and he is going to be missed immensely. 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.”

“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,” said team co-owner Parth Jindal, “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. I wish Rishabh and the team good luck.”

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. I’m going to miss the team tremendously, and will be cheering for them throughout.”

On his new role, Rishabh Pant said, "Delhi is where I grew up, and where my IPL journey began six years ago. To lead this team one day is a dream I've always harboured. 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."

Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals Head Coach Ricky Ponting said, “The previous two seasons under Shreyas’ leadership have been incredible, and the results speak for themselves. 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. The 23-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman has captained Delhi’s state team in the past.

Pant has scored 2079 runs in 68 IPL matches over the years, all of them coming for the Delhi franchise. He had his best season in 2018 when he amassed 684 runs in 14 matches.

Delhi Capitals, renamed in 2019 from the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils, reached the play-offs in 2019 with their new look side and went one better last season by reaching the final.