David Warner Encourages Rishabh Pant to Take Time and Recover
Rishabh Pant's absence is a big blow to Delhi Capitals
Delhi Capitals (DC)’ newly appointed captain for the 16th edition of the Indian Premier League, David Warner, has expressed concern for regular skipper Rishabh Pant's health following a near-fatal car accident in December 2022. The Indian star was subsequently ruled out of the IPL due to ongoing rehabilitation following the accident.
Warner has urged Pant to prioritize his recovery, stating that while the wicket-keeper batter wishes to support the team as much as possible during the tournament, he should take it "slow and easy" and focus on getting better as quickly as possible.
"He's looking forward to supporting us as much as he can. I am sure he'll try his best to come and see us. But we want him to recover, take it slow and easy and get better as fast as he can," Warner said ahead of Delhi’s first game of the tournament.
The Australian also elaborated on the role of Axar Patel, who has been appointed as the vice-captain for the season. He highlighted Patel’s knowledge of the squad and his ability to communicate effectively with the team's non-English speaking players.
"Axar will be in control of relaying information to the bowlers and also help me deal with the language barrier," added the Aussie veteran.
In addition, Warner emphasized the importance of home-ground advantage for the Delhi Capitals this season, as the IPL returns to the home-and-away format for the first time since 2019.
Delhi Capitals will commence their IPL 2023 crusade on April 1 against the Lucknow Super Giants. Warner, who has returned to lead an IPL franchise after successfully captaining the Sunrisers Hyderabad for several years, will be eager to begin his tenure as captain of the Delhi Capitals with a win in their opening game.
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