Team India wicket-keeper batsman and Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant is expected to miss the entirety of the Indian Premier League having sustained horrible injuries in a car crash.
This leaves Delhi –who had built their team around Rishabh– in jeopardy as the franchise now has two holes to fill; they need a wicket-keeper as well as a skipper.
David Warner to captain Delhi; Sarfaraz Khan to keep wickets
Reports from Times of India be believed, 36-year-old Kangaroo batsman David Warner has been confirmed to captain Delhi Capitals in Pant’s absence.
Notably, David Warner is a proven leader under who’s reign Sunrisers Hyderabad had won their sole IPL trophy (2016). Having compatriots Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson as coaches (and his experience) might have helped David assume the role ahead of his dashing Delhi opening partner Prithvi Shaw.
Interestingly, this will be the first time David will lead a team after his infamous row with Cricket Australia (CA) over his captaincy status in international cricket.
Meanwhile, Mumbai-born Sarfaraz Khan is set to be given the gloves. Though Sarfaraz Khan is not a regular keeper, Delhi wants to have an Indian player as their wicket-keeper since playing an overseas man behind the sticks would disrupt the team combination.
Delhi Capitals do have a quality keeping option in England’s Phil Salt but accommodating him will be an issue with captain David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Nortje, Mustafizur Rehman and Rovman Powell already in the mix.
ALSO READ: BCCI Official reveals probable return date of Rishabh Pant after his car accident
In other development surrounding Delhi Capitals, BCCI ex-president and Team India former skipper Sourav Ganguly has been appointed as their Director of Cricket across all T20 leagues.
Sourav will control team proceedings for Delhi in Indian Premier League, Pretoria Capitals in SA20 and Dubai Capitals in International League T20. He had earlier served as Delhi’s head coach back in 2019.