IPL 2021: Rishabh Pant's maturity over the past two seasons has gone through the roof, says Ricky Ponting
IPL 2021: Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting hailed captain Rishabh Pant for his growth as a player and a leader over the last two years.
In Short
- Ponting said that what Pant has done on the international stage is exceptional
- Pant was appointed captain of DC at the start of the season earlier this year
- It was confirmed that he would continue to be captain in the 2nd half
Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting hailed captain Rishabh Pant for the maturity he has shown over the past two years and his performances in international cricket. Pant was confirmed to continue as DC's captain for the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) despite Shreyas Iyer, who had been skipper since the 2018 season.
"Rishabh's level of maturity in the last couple of seasons has just gone through the roof. When I first joined the Delhi Capitals camp, Rishabh was just starting to burst onto the scene," said Ponting on the eve of DC's first match after the resumption of the season in the United Arab Emirates against SunRisers Hyderabad (SRH).
"I made a pretty big call during the Australian summer last year when Rishabh finally made his way back to the Test team that we are going to see the unearthing of someone that could be a star Test match player for India for a long time. And what he has done since then on the international stage has been nothing short of sensational and I could see that coming. He's done a terrific job as Captain of Delhi Capitals so far as well," said Ponting.
Pant said that he tries to keep the environment light in the team. "I have learned from Ricky that, as captain, I need to treat everyone equally in the team. If you respect each and everyone in the team, then the entire team gives everything they have for you and they also stand by you in every situation. I try and keep the environment light. Anyone in the team can discuss anything with me or Ricky. We have a good combination of youth and experience in our team," said Pant.
Ponting said that he is confident of his team being successful against SRH. "The IPL is such an even tournament that anyone on any given day can beat any team. We've got great respect for Sunrisers Hyderabad. They have got world-class players in David Warner, Kane Williamson and Rashid Khan, who is probably their key player. They always try and keep the game really close and really tight. But having said that, we have prepared really well and have done everything we can for the game. I am pretty confident that our boys can get the job done tomorrow," he said.