"I am sure Rishabh Pant will be a talismanic leader" - Suresh Raina
Former India batsman Suresh Raina believes Rishabh Pant will be a "talismanic leader" for Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2021.
The wicket-keeper-batsman was appointed DC's new skipper following Shreyas Iyer's shoulder injury, which has ruled him out of the upcoming edition of the IPL. Iyer suffered the injury in the first ODI against England.
Rishabh Pant, who has seen a meteoric rise in Indian cricket over the last few months, has added a new feather to his cap with the captaincy role at DC.
Suresh Raina, who will star for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, is confident that Pant will take DC to new heights. He tweeted:
"Heartiest congratulations to @RishabhPant17 on being named the captain of @DelhiCapitals for this season. I am sure he will be a talismanic leader and will be donning this new cap with pride."
Despite having the likes of Steve Smith, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane and Ravichandran Ashwin at their disposal, the Delhi team management backed Rishabh Pant for the captaincy role.
Find the full list of IPL 2021 players here.
Rishabh Pant reacts after being named DC captain
Rishabh Pant was delighted after being named DC's new IPL captain, terming it a "dream come true moment" for him. The 23-year-old said in a statement:
"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."
Pant was bought for ₹1.9 crore at the IPL 2016 Auction by the Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) when his base price was just ₹10 lakh. One can imagine how his stocks have gone up over the last few years, with the Delhi-based outfit retaining him for a whopping ₹15 crore ahead of IPL 2020.