Rishabh Pant, the skipper of Delhi Capitals (DC), hasn’t had the comeback he’d hoped for in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. He yet again failed to put up a good score against Rajasthan Royal in the second match of this season.
The Delhi captain hasn’t been able to make much of an impact, neither with his leadership nor his batting performances, for his team in the league.
Following his return to the pitch and scoring 18 runs against Punjab Kings, there was anticipation that he would shine in the next match against Rajasthan Royals. However, that wasn’t the case as he once again fell short of making a significant contribution and couldn’t steer his team to victory.
In the pursuit of 186 runs, Rishabh Pant came in to bat when Delhi Capitals were struggling at 30/2. He tried to settle into his innings cautiously, taking his time. However, he couldn’t unleash his usual aggressive batting style, which fans have grown accustomed to, where he typically smashes the ball around the ground and takes on the opposition from the get-go.
Although Pant managed to play some elegant shots during his innings, he couldn’t capitalize on the start and got out in the 14th over. Yuzvendra Chahal was the bowler who dismissed him, tempting Pant into attempting a late cut to a wide delivery, resulting in a catch by the keeper, Sanju Samson.
Pant seemed visibly frustrated after his dismissal, evident from his demeanor as he walked back to the dressing room. A viral video on the internet captured the moment when Pant expressed his frustration by angrily smashing his bat against the wall.
Rishabh Pant started his innings on a promising note but unfortunately couldn’t capitalize on it. He managed to score 28 runs off 26 balls with a strike rate of 107.69, including two boundaries and a six.
Following Pant’s departure, Tristan Stubbs (44*) and Axar Patel (15*) stepped up and gave hope to the fans by steering the innings in the right direction. Despite their efforts, they fell short of taking the team to victory. Avesh Khan’s exceptional performance in the last over ensured that Rishabh Pant’s side suffered their second consecutive defeat.
Looking ahead, Delhi Capitals will face Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 31st in Visakhapatnam.
