"Takes all the Pressure...": What Makes Rishabh Pant A Special Captain, Delhi Capitals Teammate Chetan Sakariya Tells NDTV
In a conversation with NDTV, Delhi Capitals seamer Chetan Sakariya spoke about how skipper Rishabh Pant likes to take all the pressure on himself to take the side out of difficult situations.
Left-arm seamer Chetan Sakariya did not play the initial few matches for Delhi Capitals in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 but in his first match this season against Kolkata Knight Riders, he made an instant impact as he rattled the stumps of Aaron Finch. The youngster has provided another dimension to Delhi Capitals' strong bowling attack. In a conversation with NDTV, Sakariya opened up on what he has learnt this season, the best traits of skipper Rishabh Pant, and how Ricky Ponting keeps on motivating the players.
"I have been here for a long time now. I am just impressed with the way Ricky Ponting thinks. Whenever a difficult situation comes, Ponting tries to motivate the players and he also tries to lighten up the room by cracking a joke and personally, he speaks to the players and asks them to be ready for the game. He focuses on each and every player and I have been impressed with this trait of his," Sakariya told NDTV.
When asked about Pant, Sakariya said: "Rishabh Bhaiya is very calm and he takes all the pressure, responsibility on himself. He always takes the job of taking the team out of pressure situations. Whenever the other players do well, he gives them credit, but whenever difficult situations come, he is the first one to raise his hand to take the team out of trouble."
Sakariya also explained in detail why he celebrated in a special manner - the iconic Dragon Ball Z style - after dismissing Aaron Finch in the game against KKR. He also added how his father always wanted him to rattle the stumps of a good international batter.
"My celebration style this season was very important as I was sitting on the sidelines for a very long. I always wanted to do well for the team. Before the game, I was overthinking a bit as I was not able to sleep. Then I thought about how I wanted to fulfill the dream of my father to rattle the stumps of a good international player. I knew how I will celebrate if I ended bowing the batter out. I celebrated in the style of a cartoon character from Dragon Ball Z and by placing two fingers on your forehead, you can teleport and that was my way of paying an ode to my father," said Sakariya.
"The experience has been good. We have gotten out of some difficult situations. We were able to win some crucial contests and it was a good experience. As a player, it has been a good learning curve," he further stated.
Sakariya was not a part of the Delhi Capitals playing XI for the first seven matches and he only got his chance in the eighth game which was against KKR. The left-arm seamer said that sitting on the bench is not easy as the confidence levels take a hit.
"Coaches have the job to keep their players motivated. Good and bad games are part of the job. Sitting on the sidelines is not easy as your confidence takes a hit. But you have to keep on believing. You are not there on the ground, so your match fitness can also take a hit. It is difficult to manage this when you are not part of the playing XI," said the 24-year-old.
"Recently, Ajit Agarkar (assistant coach) and I discussed what balls to bowl to different batters. What are their weak areas and what is my strength. Currently, we are working on that. Initially, we focused on technical bits. I used to ask him about his experiences as well," he concluded.
Delhi Capitals
Sunrisers Hyderabad
Rishabh Pant