Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has backed new captain Rishabh Pant to do a great job as skipper, saying the extra responsibility of leading the side is going to “sit really well with him” in the upcoming 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021).
The Aussie great further said that the swashbuckling wicketkeeper-batsman understands the game very well and he will thrive in the extra responsibility as Delhi Capitals’ captain in the IPL 2021.
He also added that Pant is such a person who likes responsibility and wants to be a leader and he believes that the youngster doesn't need much help with his new role in the tournament.
Pant was named the DC captain for the upcoming IPL 14 after regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury and the head coach is very excited to see how he goes with the new responsibility in the lucrative T20 tournament starting April 9.
In a video shared by the DC on Twitter on April 5, Ponting said: “I think extra responsibility is going to sit really well with Rishabh. He’s that sort of a person who likes the responsibility, wants to be the main man, and wants to be the leader.
We’ll help him through, but honestly, I don’t think he’s going to need much help at all. So I'm really excited to see how he is going to go with it.”
He also urged the senior players in the DC camp to assist the 23-year-old throughout the IPL 14.
The coach said, “It's a big part of my job, it's a big part of the other coaches' jobs but also the senior players, I think it's a big part and a big role for them as well to get behind him and help him where they need to, not only at training but also, you know once the game starts he is going to need a little support.
But what I know about Rishabh, is that he understands the game really well, he is very strong in his own thoughts and opinions. I think that will hold him in great stead as far as captaincy is concerned.”
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Ponting also said more talks with Pant will help him in his new role in the upcoming tournament, saying: “We've had a few chats over the last few days and we'll have more of them in the next few weeks.”
He signed off, “I think if we can get most of the talking done with Rishabh about his captaincy leading into the first game, then we don't have to worry about it as the tournament starts. So the last thing you want is to be overloading the captain with all sorts of information once the tournament is underway.”
Noteworthy, the Delhi Capitals will kick start their IPL 2021 campaign against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 10.
(With India Today/PTI Inputs)
