IPL 2021 | It feels so good to have great starts every game, admits Rishabh Pant

After winning the toss, there was no sort of hesitation from Delhi Capitals’ skipper Rishabh Pant, who instantly opted to bowl first in Ahmedabad. Right from the start, the Delhi bowlers consistently applied pressure on the Punjab top-order, who in the absence of KL Rahul succumbed to 35/2 in the sixth over. 

While Mayank Agarwal’s scintillating 99 got them to a total of 166, on this good surface, it was far from a winning score. Delhi’s openers proved just that, with a 63-run partnership before the middle-order sealed the deal for the Capitals, in 17.4 overs to take the top spot in this season’s competition.

In the post-match presentation, winning skipper Rishabh Pant admitted that it feels good to have such great starts from Prithvi Shaw-Shikhar Dhawan every game. Pant also insisted that his side have most of the things sorted but would still make a few changes to suit the conditions in Kolkata. 

“Shikhar and Prithvi gave us a very good start. In the first innings, the ball was gripping and even in the second innings, it was slow but the way they started was commendable. It feels so good when you have a great start in every match. Most of the things are sorted but we need to try a few things for the Kolkata leg,” Pant admitted in the post-match presentation. 

Pant also credited the competition on the bench, stating that it is very difficult to give everyone a ‘go’ in the tournament. However, at the same time, the southpaw revealed that he is learning each and every day in his new role as Delhi’s skipper in the IPL. 

“The competition is very good, it's difficult we can make everyone play. I am enjoying captaincy, learning each and every day. Everyone is helping me,” he concluded.