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IPL 2021: Match-up between Master and his apprentice, Rishabh Pant excited to lead DC

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It will be a big moment for Rishabh Pant when he walks out for the coin toss in the 2nd match of the 14th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) along with his idol Mahendra Singh Dhoni. What a sensational match-up this is going to be between the Master and his apprentice. Ever since coming into the foray of Indian selection, MS Dhoni has taken good care of Pant. Starting his career as a pocket-sized dynamite and then getting subjected to social media trolls, MS Dhoni has played a big part in the nourishment of Rishabh Pant. He is currently in the form of his life and getting the captaincy of Delhi Capitals is just the icing on the cake. 

Following an unfortunate shoulder injury to regular DC skipper Shreyas Iyer, DC named Pant as the captain for the 14th season and there is no better way to start your captaincy campaign against your idol. Pant said that it will be a special moment for him to lead an IPL team for the first time against the MS Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings. 

"It will be extra special to walk out for the toss with MS Dhoni. This will be the first time that I will be leading an IPL team and the first match is against Mahi bhai,” Pant said in the lead-up to the CSK-DC clash slated to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. 

Pant who has grown as a cricketer under the guidance of Dhoni said that he will try and use the learnings from Dhoni in the 2nd match of Vivo IPL 14.     

“I have learned a lot from him, and I have gained a lot of experience from him. Hopefully, I can use this experience against him, and we can win this match. That's what I am looking forward to," he said.

Delhi Capitals is yet to win an IPL trophy till date. However, in the last two years, DC has been the best version of themselves. They are a team with a perfect blend of youth and experience and having senior campaigners like Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin and Steve Smith will keep Pant in a good frame of mind going into his first match as an IPL captain. 

"I have been talking to the senior players like Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ajinkya Rahane about the fields we can set and other strategic decisions for the team. I have been talking to Ricky and our Bowling Coach James Hopes as well. There's a good mix of seniors and juniors in our squad and I think with the help of Ricky, we can do something different this year," Pant added.

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