CRICKET
David Warner to captain Delhi Capitals, Rishabh Pant out
It’s confirmed that Rishabh Pant will miss this year’s Indian Premier League to continue his recovery from a car crash.
David Warner will replace him as Delhi Capitals skipper, the franchise said Thursday.
Indian star Pant, a left-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, suffered multiple injuries when his Mercedes SUV crashed north of New Delhi in December.
Captaincy in the IPL is not new to Warner, who took the Sunrisers to the title in 2016.
He has the fifth best record as skipper in the tournament, winning 35 of the 69 matches he has been in charge.
But his lifetime captaincy ban for Australian teams remains in place, part of the penalty for his role in the sandpaper scandal in 2018.
“Warner steps in as skipper for Rishabh Pant, who is currently undergoing rehab and recovery.” Delhi Capitals said in a statement.
The 25-year-old Pant has not put a timeframe on his recovery but he had not been expected to return for the IPL, which begins at the end of this month.
Australia’s Warner left the Test series in India last month with concussion and a fractured elbow but is returning for the tourists’ three-match one-day international series.
However, his readiness for the opening clash on Friday night remains unclear despite recovering from an elbow injury.
“This franchise has always been home for me and I couldn’t be more excited to lead such a supremely talented bunch of players,” the batsman said in a statement.
Delhi paid $750,000 for Warner’s services in the December IPL auction.
The latest instalment of the cash-rich IPL will begin on March 31 with Delhi to open their campaign the next day against Lucknow Super Giants.
The tournament this year returns to the home and away format for the first time since the pandemic.
Warner has declared his intention to play on in Australia’s ODI and T20 side until at least the next T20 World Cup in 2024 and potentially beyond that in franchise cricket.