IPL 2022: 3 reasons why Rishabh Pant as captain is a plus for Delhi Capitals

The Delhi Capitals (DC) will be led by dynamic wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition. The 24-year-old was named as the stand-in captain last season after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the first half due to a shoulder injury. However, even after Iyer was fit for the UAE leg, the DC think tank decided to retain Pant as skipper.

Under the youngster, Delhi were highly impressive in the IPL 2021 league stage and even topped the points table. However, they faltered in the playoffs and were eliminated before the final. Impressed with Pant’s overall leadership style, DC retained him as IPL captain ahead of the mega auction in Bengaluru last month.

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Rishabh Pant as DC captain: 3 positives

The Delhi Capitals would be disappointed with them not winning the title last season despite looking the strongest IPL team on paper. But Pant’s retention was a vote of confidence from the DC management for the captain. Let’s look at three reasons why Pant as skipper is a plus for Delhi.

Check out the IPL 2022 stats here.

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#1 A match-winner who can lead from the front

Delhi Capitals topped the league stage last season. Pic: BCCI

Captains are always expected to lead from the front. However, not all leaders are exceptionally gifted in other departments. They are in the top job because they have excellent tactical acumen. In Pant’s case though, he definitely has the ability to lead from the front.

Among the young batters in the game today, the left-hander is one of the most destructive stroke-makers who can single-handedly change the course of a contest. He has already proved his mettle on the international stage against some top-quality bowling attacks. The southpaw will thus be keen to lead from the front with the bat during IPL 2022.

If his whirlwind style of play with the willow comes off, the DC skipper can put opponents on the back foot. It will, however, be interesting to observe whether Pant will look to rein himself in, considering the added responsibility of leadership on his shoulders.

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#2 He can be groomed in his role as leader

DC will have high hopes from their skipper during IPL 2022. Pic: BCCI

Although Delhi made the playoffs last year on the back of some excellent performances in the league stage, Pant’s weaknesses as a leader came to the fore during the qualifiers. His decision to give the last over to Tom Curran against MS Dhoni (Qualifier 1) was perhaps the blunder of the tournament. There were a few other tactical errors as well that a smart captain would have avoided.

To be fair to Pant, though, he was in his debut season as IPL captain. And leading the team to the playoffs in his first attempt was quite a commendable job. The youngster has a positive attitude as captain and can definitely be groomed in the role.

With Ricky Ponting as DC head coach, Pant has an excellent mentor. The youngster is only 24 and has enough time on his hands to learn and improve on the job.

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#3 His chirpy presence can rub off on teammates

The captain with Avesh Khan. Pic: BCCI

One thing Pant will never lack as captain is enthusiasm. Being a keeper, he is extremely chirpy behind the stumps. He has come up with some wacky one-liners in the past and has the ability to lighten the mood of the team on the field. While it is important to be agile on the cricket ground, it is equally significant to find ways to relax out in the middle, as situations can sometimes get extremely tense.

With Pant as their captain, DC have someone who can definitely spread positivity around the camp. His effervescent attitude can even rub off on teammates and perhaps get them to perform better under pressure.

Undoubtedly, as a leader, Pant has a long way to go. But he has a few significant attributes that hint towards the possibility of him going on to become a successful captain. His journey as DC skipper in IPL 2022 will be seen as a step in the same direction.