Vishakhapatnam:What could have been a better show of cricket when both Rishabh Pant and Mahendra Singh Dhoni played scintillating knocks for their side. It was the clash between Rishabh Pant-led Delhi Capitals and Ruturaj Gaikwad-led Chennai Super Kings at DR. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA -VDCA Cricket Stadium on Sunday.
Rishabh Pant came in at No. 3 in the wake of David Warner’s 93-run partnership with Prithvi Shaw in the first ten overs. At first, the wicketkeeper-batter found it difficult to find his rhythm and managed to score just 23 off as many deliveries. However, he was able to accelerate well and scored 28 off the last nine balls before being dismissed for a massive 51 off just 32 balls in the final over of Delhi’s innings. Pant smashed four boundaries and three sixes in his knock.
Pant returned to competitive cricket in this IPL after recovering from a life-threatening road mishap in December 2022, and this was his first fifty in three games this season. After a knock which was more crucial for Rishabh Pant to gain momentum, the Delhi Capitals skipper said he always had the self-belief of making a comeback to top-tier cricket.
"One and a half years...this is something I have built my life on. I still have to keep learning as a cricketer. I had self-belief that whatever happens, I have to come back to the ground and I didn't think about anything else," Pant said during the post-match presentation.