Rishabh Pant’s Jersey Number To Be Printed On Delhi Capitals’ Jersey And Caps

Rishabh Pant, the Indian wicketkeeper-batsman who was engaged in a vehicle accident in December, is still recovering and will be unable to play in the 15th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In his absence, the Delhi Capitals (DC) have named David Warner as their new captain. Nonetheless, DC head coach Ricky Ponting has stated that Pant is the franchise’s heart and soul.

Ponting paid respect to Pant at an event in Delhi on March 24 and revealed that the team management is considering putting his jersey number on their jerseys or hats. Despite Pant’s absence, the team has yet to select a first-choice keeper to replace him.

“In an ideal world for me, he’d be sitting next to me in the dugout every match. But if that’s not possible, we’d like to make him part of the team in ways possible. We can have his number on our shirts or on caps. Just to make it clear that he’s our leader, even if he’s not with us,” Ponting said.

“We haven’t decided that yet. Sarfaraz (Khan) has joined us and we’ll look at the practice games ahead to decide that. That’s one big hole Rishabh leaves behind. With the impact player rule coming in, we can use a number of ways,” he added.

Warner, who was released by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and was acquired for Rs 6.25 crore, will lead DC in the IPL 2023. Axar Patel, an all-rounder, has been selected vice-captain. Warner led the Nationals with 432 runs scored at an average of 48 and a strike rate of 150.52 in his rookie season, including five half-centuries.

DC will begin its IPL 2023 campaign on April 1 against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow. While Pant’s absence will be felt by the club, DC’s veteran players will be expected to step up and fill the vacuum created by the outstanding wicketkeeper-batsman.

Ponting’s remarks show how well regarded Pant is among his teammates and coaches. His prior services to DC have been critical to the team’s success, and he will be sadly missed in the upcoming season. Still, DC is a quality club with excellent players capable of playing at the highest level.

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