Delhi Capitals all-rounder Lalit Yadav admitted it is difficult to replace their skipper Rishabh Pant in Delhi Capitals, but believes the team would find a way to overcome his absence and do well in IPL 2023. The Indian wicket-keeper has been ruled out of the cash-rich league following a fatal car accident in December 2022.
Lalit Yadav, who is currently part of the Delhi Capitals preseason camp in Arun Jaitley Stadium spoke about Rishabh Pant’s absence in the league and having Sourav Ganguly back in the setup, who returned as the Director of Cricket for Delhi Capitals.
Speaking to mykhel.com, Lalit Yadav ruined the absence of Rishabh Pant and added that the team is coming up with some new ideas to compensate for his absence in the IPL. According to reports Bengal wicketkeeper Abishek Porel is set to be named as Rishabh Pant’s replacement in the Delhi Capitals squad.
“Team is looking balanced but the absence of Rishabh Pant will be felt. The pre-IPL camps will decide a lot of things. You cannot replace Rishabh Pant. You cannot get a player like Rishabh Pant in the world. But the situation is such that we have to find a substitute. Lots of learning from Rishabh Pant. I pray that he gets well soon and is back to playing cricket,” Lalit Yadav Said
The 26-year-old was a part of the Delhi Capitals franchise since 2020, he is an attacking batter and a handy off-spinner who had a decent IPL in 2022 and Delhi might look to use him as his impact player as the ability to contribute with both bat and ball.
I Have Idealized Him Since Childhood – Lalit Yadav On Having Sourav Ganguly In Delhi Capitals
Lalit Yadav talked about learnings from the legendary Indian Skipper Sourav Ganguly, stating that he idolized the former KKR skipper from his younger days. Lalit Yadav will also have the guidance of Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson who were part of the support system of Delhi Capitals in 2023.
“Learning a lot from Dada. We had two camps in Kolkata. We had a good conversation about how can I become better as a player and about departments where I should improve. He is really good, I have idealized him since childhood. Before Mahi bhai, I watched him lead the team, his aggressive approach. I am very excited, will get to learn a lot from him this season,” Lalit Yadav said
Australian opener David Warner will captain the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 in the absence of their regular skipper Rishabh Pant. Delhi Capitals will take on the Lucknow Super Giants on April 1 in their first match of the 2023 season.