IPL 2021: Irfan Pathan Points Out Big Change In Rishabh Pant's Game Since Becoming Delhi Capitals Captain

Delhi Capitals zoomed back to the top of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) after a comprehensive win over SunRisers Hyderabad on Wednesday. It was a complete team performance from last season's finalists as they first restricted SRH to a below par total and then chased it down with ease. Kagiso Rabada (3/37) and Anrich Nortje (2/12) pit in a stellar show while Axar Patel (2/21) was his miserly best in the middle overs.

After the exploits of the bowlers, it was down to the batsmen and opener Shikhar Dhawan laid the perfect foundation with a knock of 42 runs. After he departed, the chase was finished off in style by Shreyas Iyer (47*) and captain Rishabh Pant (35*).

While Iyer was his calm self, Pant too stayed true to his natural instincts and brought curtains down on the match fast with his aggressive hitting. The fact that Pant stayed till the end and closed the match out for his team is something that former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan believes is becoming a hallmark of his game since assuming captaincy of the franchise this season, after Iyer's absence due to injury.

"Showing maturity, which is what you want to see from a leader, a captain. I am really happy with the way he is batting. I have been a big fan of Rishabh Pant because of the way he plays his shots. The way he plays on the leg side, the way he has improved his off side play as well. Really good to see the way he has gone about his business. Most importantly he is finishing the games for his team since he started captaining. That's what you want from your captain," Pathan said on the post-match show of host broadcasters Star Sports.

Pant and Iyer stitched together an unbeaten partnership of 67 runs to see their team through with more than 2 overs to spare. The victory helped DC consolidate their top position and also gave a boost to their net run-rate, which always comes in handy while deciding play-off spots at the end of the league phase.

Topics mentioned in this article

Delhi Capitals Rishabh Pant Irfan Pathan Cricket IPL 2021