Delhi Capitals coach Ponting backs Pant to be future India captain

Ahead of its first match in IPL 2022, Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting has heaped praise on captain Rishabh Pant and backed him to be a successful international skipper in the future.

DC, in its first game, takes on five-time champion Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai, on Sunday, March 27.

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During a virtual press conference on Saturday, Ponting expressed that he is confident about his team’s chances against Mumbai.

“We’ve been working exceptionally hard on making sure that the guys that are here are ready for their first challenge. I believe we have good depth in our squad. Yes, we are missing some overseas players for the first couple of games, but that’s no worry for us. I fully expect that we can get off to a good start on Sunday,” the former Australian captain said.

‘Pant, Rohit similar’

When he was asked about the similarities between DC skipper Rishabh Pant and MI captain Rohit Sharma, he said, “Rishabh and Rohit are quite similar people. I know they are great mates and they are probably exchanging notes about leadership and captaincy. There’s every possibility for Rishabh’s journey to be quite similar to Rohit’s. I have got no doubt that Rishabh could be an international captain in years to come.”

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Earlier this year, Pant was made India vice-captain for the T20I series against the West Indies.

Ponting also spoke about the inclusion of India Under-19 World Cup-winning Captain Yash Dhull in the DC franchise.

“Yash has been through the Delhi Capitals Academy. This is a great example of what the DC Academy has been able to produce. Yash is someone who’s good enough to captain India in a successful U-19 World Cup campaign. He’s been a great inclusion into our squad. I also look forward to seeing a lot of the other younger guys get an opportunity through the next couple of months,” he said.

No personal goals for Pant

When Pant was asked about his personal goals this season, he said, “I have not thought about my personal goals. We are just focusing on the team’s needs and that is the most important thing for us in the Delhi Capitals. It’s always exciting to have new players in our team, but we are continuing to follow the same process we have been following in the last few years.”

The wicketkeeper-batsman also spoke about the inclusion of David Warner and Rovman Powell in the Delhi franchise for this season.

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“David Warner was one of the biggest buys for us in the Auction. I am very happy with his inclusion in the team. Rovman Powell can also be the X-factor player for us. He has immense power and I think it’s going to be great to have him on our side. Hopefully, Rovman can live up to his expectations and help Delhi Capitals this year,” Pant said.

The 10-team IPL begins today, March 26, with the defending champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) facing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.