Johannesburg : Former South Africa skipper AB De Villiers expressed his feelings as Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant returned to the team for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.Pant was ruled out of IPL 2023 as he sustained multiple injuries during a car accident in December 2022.
The former right-hand batter asserted that he loves watching the southpaw bat and that DC is lucky to have him back. "The son of Delhi will be watched by thousands around India and around the globe again and by me. He's got number 17 on his back; I used to have 17 on my back. There's a bit of chemistry, and I absolutely love watching this guy play.
It's great to have him back. He scored an IPL hundred, maybe this will be the season for number two, three, maybe even four," De Villiers said on his YouTube channel.
Pant has represented DC since 2016 and scored 2,838 runs in 98 matches at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of over 147, with a century and 15 fifties to his name.
The 17th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will start on March 22, with defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) set to clash with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in a South Indian derby at their home arena - MA Chidambaram Stadium.
The Delhi Capitals will be up against the Punjab Kings in their first match of IPL 2024 in Chandigarh on Saturday. DC squad for IPL 2024: Rishabh Pant (C), David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Yash Dhull, Harry Brook, Swastik Chikara, Anrich Nortje, Ishant Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, Lungi Ngidi, Mukesh Kumar, Praveen Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed, Vicky Ostwal, Rasikh Dar Salam, Jhye Richarson, Abhishek Porel, Shai Hope, Ricky Bhui, Kumar Kushagra, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Mitchell Marsh, Sumit Kumar.