DC vs MI LIVE: DC Press Conference LIVE Updates – Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting has backed captain Rishabh Pant to have a successful captaincy tenure like Rohit Sharma as the two Indian stalwarts clash in their IPL 2022 openers on Sunday. Rohit took over from Ponting and won five IPL titles before taking over the mantle of the Indian team. The former Australian captain is now the main man behind Pant as he guides his Delhi Capitals, and believes that the Indian wicketkeeper has everything in him to replicate Rohit’s successes. Follow Delhi Capitals PC LIVE updates on Insidesport.in
DC vs MI LIVE: Ponting backs Rishabh Pant to follow Rohit Sharma’s shoes; backs him as international captain ahead of IPL 2022 showdown
Ricky Ponting on the unavailability of overseas stars – We haven’t talked much about it. Our focus is on the first game of the season and we will play with what we have. We have Seifert, Powell and Nortje with us while Mustafizur and Ngidi have already entered quarantine so it is only a matter of a couple of games. We believe we have the quality to get to a good start and get better once the players start arriving in a week.
Rishabh Pant on new squad and the acquisition of David Warner – It is always exciting to have a new group of players but we are going to stick to our process as we have done over the last 2-3 years. We believe that our process has yielded success and our aims for the season will be the same. As for David Warner, we are quite happy to have him on board, especially for the price we got him at in the auction.
Rishabh Pant on X-Factor Rovman Powell – Definitely, I guess someone like him with immense power batting at No.4 and No.5 is going to be really good for us this season. We have been looking for a batsman who can bat down the order. Yes, Stoinis was there earlier who was doing that role, hopefully, Rovman can live up to his expectations and help Delhi Capitals this season.
Ricky Ponting on Rishabh Pant’s captaincy and similarities to Rohit Sharma – When Rohit took over at Mumbai he was quite a young man and had just about started out his international career and was about a similar age to what Rishbah started out with Delhi Capitals. And to be totally honest, they are quite similar people as well, I know they are great mates and talk all the time and exchange little things about leadership and captaincy along the way as well. But I hope he doesn’t give too many secrets away as we play them in a couple of days (chuckles).
I think there is every opportunity for Rishabh’s journey to be similar to Rohit Sharma. Taking over as a young captain of a successful franchise, and hopefully, Rishabh can have the same sort of success that Rohit has had with the Mumbai Indians. Some experience in a role like this, in such a high-pressure tournament like the IPL, like I have no doubt that Rishabh can be an international captain.
Rishabh Pant on personal goals for the season – “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.”
Ricky Ponting on working with young talent – It is always exciting to have a young group of players as they bring out so much energy to the group. The likes of Kuldeep, Nagarkoti, Mandeep, Sarfaraz have all played together before and are good friends so has helped the team bond and gell together quickly.
“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.”
DC vs MI LIVE: Rishabh Pant, Ricky Ponting to address media before IPL 2022 opener at 12:30 PM IST – Follow LIVE Updates
Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting will address the media on Saturday, a day before their IPL 2022 opener against Mumbai Indians. The Delhi Capitals duo are likely to be posed with a lot of questions on their playing combination, considering the absence of David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi and Mustafizur Rahman. The franchise does boast of a lot of Indian talent, and it remains to be seen who they back when they take the field on Sunday.
With the clash against Mumbai being a day game at the Brabourne Stadium, a lot of talk will surround the conditions on offer. Ponting and Pant will likely give an insight into how their preparations have gone about for the game, as they begin a new era starting Sunday.
Delhi Capitals PC LIVE: Talking Points
- Playing combination
- Absence of overseas stars
- Playing conditions
- Changes to squad, backroom staff
- Preparations for the MI clash and the season
- Rishabh Pant and captaincy
DC vs MI LIVE: Rishabh Pant, Ricky Ponting to address media before IPL 2022 opener at 12:30 PM IST – Follow LIVE Updates
Capitals have lost a host of superstars to the auction, with Shreyas Iyer, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Kagiso Rabada all moving on to different franchises having helped Delhi reach the playoffs in each of the last 3 seasons. The IPL 2020 finalists have also made some massive changes in their backroom staff and will hope that it pays rewards in IPL 2022.
Pant himself is a relatively new captain having taken over the reins from Shreyas Iyer last season. Under the wicket-keeper, Delhi topped the standings and made it to the playoffs, but lost both their knockout games to crash out of the tournament. The Capitals have already set their aim at winning the IPL title, with Rishabh Pant himself suggesting that it was his No.1 priority in a recent interview. The Delhi franchise have never won the trophy and will hope to break the jinx this season, starting with the game against Mumbai on Sunday.
DC vs MI LIVE: Rishabh Pant, Ricky Ponting to address media before IPL 2022 opener at 12:30 PM IST – Follow LIVE Updates
