India’s wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant met with a major accident on December 30 and is currently undergoing treatment at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. Pant has suffered a ligament tear in his right knee and thus is expected to be out of action for several months. Pant being doubtful for Indian Premier League 2023 has put his franchise Delhi Capitals in jeopardy.
The JSW Group-owned franchise will be without a captain in IPL 2023. While they have a few potential candidates who can lead the side in Pant’s absence, the DC management is yet to take an official call. However, as per sources close to SportsTiger, David Warner is the frontrunner to take up the leadership role for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023. The Australian has ample experience in leading an IPL franchise and thus has an upper hand over his competitors.
The SportsTiger source also revealed that DC management is waiting for an official confirmation from BCCI and the hospital Pant is admitted in. As soon as there is an official announcement about the duration for which Pant will be ruled out, DC will start the formalities for Warner to be appointed as the captain.
Notably, the other candidates in contention for leadership for DC in IPL 2023 are Prithvi Shaw and Rovman Powell. However, Warner has a way more impressive resume than these two. The Australian has already led SunRisers Hyderabad to their maiden IPL title (in 2016). Also, Warner has been in around the IPL for more than a decade so he is more familiar with the technicalities. Also, Ricky Ponting sitting as the head coach will favour Warner.
DC Squad for IPL 2023: Manish Pandey, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Phil Salt, David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant (c) (wk)**, Sarfaraz Khan, KS Bharat (wk), Mandeep Singh, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Kamlesh Nagarkoti, Mustafizur Rahman, Chetan Sakariya, Khaleel Ahmed, Ashwin Hebbar, Ripal Patel, Yash Dhull, Vicky Ostwal, Lungi Ngidi, Tim Seifert (wk), Praveen Dubey, Rovman Powell, Lalit Yadav.