OMG! Mohammad Azharuddin pitches Rishabh Pant as the front runner for Team India Captaincy

Byline By- Vinayak Heliwal

Rishabh Pant is currently the toast of the nation. After his brilliant performances against England and Australia in the last few months, Pant was on Monday announced as the captain of the Delhi Capitals ahead of the Indian Premier League.

Throwing weight behind Delhi Capitals decision to appoint 23-year-old Rishabh Pant as the captain for IPL 2021, Former Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin asserted that the young wicketkeeper-batsman has established himself across all the formats.

Highlighting Pant’s recent form, Azharuddin also pitched him as a new front runner to lead Team India soon.

Former Indian skipper Mohammed Azharuddin who had played 334 ODIs and 99 Tests for India on Wednesday said he won’t be surprised if Indian selectors see Pant as an option for Indian captaincy soon.

Explaining why Pant could lead the Men in Blue, Azharuddin said that the youngsters attacking style of play could benefit India in the time to come.

For the unversed Delhi Capitals announced Rishabh Pant as the skipper of this year IPL after Shreyas Iyer was ruled out of the tournament due to a shoulder injury.

Meanwhile, Shreyas Iyer also supported the franchise decision to appoint Rishabh Pant as he feels that the young gun is the best man for the job.

“When I sustained the shoulder injury, and Delhi Capitals needed a leader for this edition of the IPL, I did not doubt that Rishabh would be the best man for the job. He has all my good wishes to make amazing things happen with our incredible team. I’m going to miss the team tremendously, and will be cheering for them throughout,” Iyer said in a statement.

Even Delhi Capitals Coach Ricky Pointing said that the appointment of Rishabh Pant is well deserved for his recent performances and he is convinced that the captaincy will make Rishabh Pant a better player in the future ahead.

‘Humbled’ by the new role, Pant remarked that he is raring to assume the leadership of the team and thanked the team owners for reposing faith in him. “Delhi is where I grew up, and where my IPL journey began six years ago. To lead this team one day is a dream I’ve always harboured. And today, as that dream comes true, I feel humbled. I am truly grateful, especially to our team owners, who considered me capable enough for this role. With an amazing coaching staff, and a plethora of accomplished seniors around me, I can’t wait to give my absolute best for Delhi Capitals,” Pant said.

Delhi Capitals will begin their IPL campaign against Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 10.