Image Source: AP
[Saba Sports News] Rishabh Pant joined IPL stalwarts Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir in an esteemed group as he took the field against Rajasthan Royals.
The Delhi Capitals captain achieved a significant milestone with the franchise, marking his 100th appearance in the Indian Premier League during the clash against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur. Pant made his IPL debut with DC back in 2015 and assumed the captaincy in 2022.
Pant’s return to cricketing action in IPL 2024, following a 14-month hiatus since his near-fatal car accident, was eagerly anticipated. Contrary to earlier reports, Pant not only demonstrated full fitness but also retained his leadership role for the season, replacing David Warner, who captained the side last year.
Before the showdown with the Royals, Pant shared the record for the most appearances for the Capitals (99) with Amit Mishra. The list of players with the most DC caps in IPL history is as follows (* denotes active players for the franchise):
Rishabh Pant – 100*
Amit Mishra – 99
Shreyas Iyer – 87
David Warner – 82*
Virender Sehwag – 79
As Pant became the first DC player to reach 100 appearances, he joined the ranks of Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, among other IPL icons who achieved the three-figure milestone with a single franchise. Here is the complete list of players who reached 100 IPL matches for a team:
Suresh Raina (CSK)
Harbhajan Singh (MI)
Virat Kohli (RCB)
Gautam Gambhir (KKR)
Ajinkya Rahane (RR)
Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH)
Rishabh Pant (DC)
In the match against Rajasthan Royals, Pant won the toss and elected to bowl as Delhi Capitals sought their first win of the season after a disappointing defeat to Punjab Kings in the season opener.
Though Pant scored 18 off 13 deliveries in his first batting innings since returning to the game, he displayed characteristic strokes during his brief stint at the crease. He also exhibited agility behind the stumps, showcasing fast reflexes with a stumping dismissal against Jitesh Sharma.
With Pant’s return and the comeback of Anrich Nortje in the second match against Royals, Delhi Capitals aim for an improved season following their ninth-place finish in 2023.
Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals, who narrowly missed a playoff spot in the previous edition, kicked off the 2024 campaign with a strong 20-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.