[Picture] Delhi Capitals' classy gesture for the injured Rishabh Pant
Delhi Capitals (DC) opened their 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign against the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in Lucknow today. The Capitals are without their regular captain, Rishabh Pant, who is sidelined due to injury.
Ahead of their opening match, the Delhi Capitals displayed pure class by hanging the jersey of their injured skipper Rishabh Pant on top of their dugout.
Pant injured his knee during a near-fatal car accident in December 2022 and is currently recovering after surgery. The 25-year-old from Roorkee is set to miss this year's Indian Premier League (IPL). With the left-hander out of the IPL for the 2023 season, David Warner has replaced him as the captain of the Capitals.
The injured wicketkeeper-batsman has said he may attend the home matches of the Delhi Capitals to lend support to his teammates.
The franchise shared a heartwarming picture of Pant's jersey hanging on top of their dugout on their social media handles.
Always in our dugout. Always in our team ❤️💙
#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2023 #LSGvDC #RP17 https://t.co/8AN6LZdh3l
Rishabh Pant is battling against time in a race to be fit for the One Day International (ODI) World Cup in India in October this year. He will miss the World Test Championship (WTC) final against Australia in June.
Delhi Capitals named Abhishek Porel as a replacement for the injured Rishabh Pant
The Delhi Capitals recently named Bengal wicketkeeper Abhishek Porel as Rishabh Pant's replacement. Porel did not impress much in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy but had a solid first-class season with six half-centuries in 26 innings.
While Sarfaraz Khan will be the frontrunner for the wicketkeeping role, Porel will likely be the backup keeper in the Capitals squad. DC also have the option of England's Phil Salt should they opt for an overseas wicketkeeper.
Porel's coach, Bibhas Das, was effusive in his praise for the wicketkeeper-batsman and said:
"He is an attacking batter, more of a batter than a wicket-keeper. He is an ultra-aggressive batter and is not behind anyone in terms of skills. If he gets to bat a little higher than he does at Bengal, the world will see what Porel is capable of."
Delhi Capitals captain David Warner has been vocal about the team wanting to do well in the IPL 2023 for the injured Rishabh Pant. Warner will hope that the likes of Sarfaraz Khan and Abhishek Porel come to the party to help overcome the gaping hole left by the absence of Rishabh Pant.
Speaking at the toss ahead of the team's opening encounter against the Lucknow Super Giants, Warner conveyed his best wishes to Pant.