Delhi Capitals appointed Warner as the captain for the upcoming season of IPL
Veteran Australian batsman David Warner was on Thursday appointed as the captain of Delhi Capitals for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season in the absence of Rishabh Pant. Pant, the regular captain of the team, is recovering from a serious injury sustained in the car accident and will not be able to return to the team in the upcoming season starting March 31. Indian all-rounder Akshar Patel will be the vice-captain of the Delhi team.
He had performed this responsibility in the last season as well. Delhi Capitals announced the appointment of former India captain and former BCCI (Cricket Board of India) chief Sourav Ganguly as the Director of Cricket of the franchise. Ganguly has previously been associated with Delhi Capitals in a mentoring role during the 2019 season. In a release issued here, Warner said, “Rishabh has been a wonderful captain for Delhi Capitals and we will all miss him. I would like to thank the team management for the faith they have reposed in me with this responsibility.
He said, “I have always felt at home with this franchise. I am very excited about leading a talented group of players. Pant was leading this team from 2021. He was seriously injured in a car accident in December while on his way to Roorkee from Delhi.
After this he had a successful knee surgery in Mumbai. Warner is included in the squad for the three-match ODI series against India starting on Friday in Mumbai. He is one of the most successful batsmen of IPL. He has scored 5881 runs in 162 matches in 13 seasons since 2009. During this, his average is 42.01 and the strike rate is 140.69. He has also scored four centuries and 55 half-centuries. Warner started his IPL journey in 2009 with the Delhi franchise (then Delhi Daredevils).
He joined Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2013 and under his leadership the team became champions in 2016. This 36-year-old batsman again joined the Delhi team in 2022. Last season, he was the highest run-scorer for Delhi Capitals. He scored 432 runs at an average of 48 with five half-centuries. During this, his strike rate was 150.52. Meanwhile, Ganguly also looked thrilled to be associated with the Delhi Capitals franchise.
“I have had a wonderful association with the women’s team (Delhi Capitals) and Pretoria Capitals over the past few months. I am looking forward to the upcoming season of IPL. “He said,” Delhi Capitals did well as a team during my last tenure. Hope we all have a great time in the next few months. The Delhi Capitals team will start their campaign against Lucknow Super Giants on April 1.
