Delhi Capitals (DC) coach Ricky Ponting wants skipper Rishabh Pant's presence in the dugout every day of the week if possible in the upcoming season of Indian Premier League (IPL). Pant survived a terrifying car accident on December 30 and is currently recovering in Mumbai after going under the knife few times in the past few weeks.
"You can't replace those guys, simple as that. They don't grow on trees, players like that. We've got to look at – and we already are – a replacement to come into the squad, a wicketkeeper-batsman.
If he's actually not physically fit enough to play, we'd still love to have him around," Ponting said on the ICC Review.
"He's the sort of cultural leader around the group, being the captain, and that attitude and infectious smile and laugh he has is what we all love so much about him.
"If he's actually able to travel and be around the team, then I want him sitting beside me in the dugout every day of the week.
"I'll certainly be making sure, come the middle of March when we get together in Delhi and start our camps and stuff, if he's able to be there, then I want him around the whole time."
Pant is likely to remain out of action for most of 2023 which means he will miss IPL 2023, World Test Championship (WTC) final (if India qualify) and ODI World Cup 2023.
In the crucial Border-Gavaskar Trophy which will start next month, Srikar Bharat and Ishan Kishan have been named in the Test squad as wicketkeeping options. Ponting feels that the absence of Pant will be a huge loss for Rohit Sharma-led India.
"I think he's ranked in the top six-seven Test batsmen in the world, isn't he?" Ponting asked (Pant is currently seventh in the ICC men's Test batting rankings).
"When he first started, we probably all thought he was going to be a better T20 and one-day batsman than a Test batsman, but it's actually worked the other way. His Test cricket has been remarkable.
"Even the series coming up against Australia, the four-Test series there, we know how he played against Australia in Australia last time.
"He'd have been looking forward to that series, and the rest of the world would have been looking forward to watching him play."
Pant was appointed as DC’s skipper when Shreyas Iyer injured his shoulder and was ruled out of IPL 2021. Before the mega IPL auction last year, he was retained as Capitals skipper while Iyer became Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) skipper.
DC are yet to announce Pant's replacement and their captain for the upcoming season. England's Phil Salt is a wicketkeeping option. In addition, in-form Sarfaraz Khan who kept wickets for Mumbai in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy knockout games, can keep wickets as well. As far as leadership is concerned, Australian opener David Warner is expected to lead the Capitals.
