Sharing his thoughts on Rishabh Pant’s appointment as Delhi Capitals’ (DC) captain for the IPL 2021, head coach Ricky Ponting on Tuesday (March 30) said that the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman will become an even better player while being at the helm of affairs.

Pant was handed Delhi’s captaincy after regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury, which he sustained in the opening ODI against England in Pune on March 23.

See Also: Suresh Raina congratulates Rishabh Pant for being appointed as Delhi Capitals captain

Taking to Twitter, Ponting wrote: "Unfortunate that Shreyas will miss the tournament, but looking forward to seeing @RishabhPant17 grab his opportunity. It's well deserved for his recent performances and he's coming in with a lot of confidence. I'm convinced captaincy will make him an even better player."

Rishabh Pant is having a great year in all forms of the game for India. The southpaw played match-winning knocks of 97 and 89* in the third and the fourth Test against Australia to help India clinch the Border Gavaskar Trophy Down Under.

He also played a key role in India’s 3-1 Test series win over England at home, scoring a dazzling century in the fourth Test at Ahmedabad.

Thanks to his brilliance in the longest format, Pant also made a comeback to the white-ball side and registered knocks of 77 and 78 in the two ODIs he featured in.

Pant's first match as captain for Delhi Capitals will be against MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings on April 10. The 23-year-old is ready for the challenge and he said it feels like dream come true for him to lead DC.

"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," Pant said in a statement released by Delhi Capitals on Tuesday.

"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," he added.