Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant of Delhi Capitals Image Credit: Sportzpics for BCCI

Dubai: Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant hopes that his team can go one step further from last year and win the Indian Premier League (IPL) title.

Pant, who will be captaining the team for the first time in place of the injured Shreyas Iyer, said that he is also looking forward to facing MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in their first match of the season.

“My first match as captain will be against (MS Dhoni). It will be a good experience for me as I have learnt a lot from him. I have my own experience as a player as well. I’ll apply my own experience and the learnings from MS Dhoni, and try to do something different against CSK,” said Pant.

Pant said that the team will be looking to build on the progress of the last few years this season.

“We haven’t won a title yet and I will try my level best to get a title this year. We’ve been playing nicely as a team from last two-three years and our preparations are going on well. Everyone looks in great frame of mind. Everyone is giving their 100 per cent and is happy in the team environment, and that’s what you want as a captain,” said the 23-year-old Pant.

When asked about the influence of head coach Ricky Ponting on the team, Pant said, “He has been so amazing for us in the last two-three years. He brings energy to the team and as a player when you see your coach and you’re thinking this is the man from whom you can learn a lot, then nothing is better than that. Hopefully, we will cross the line this year, with the help of Ricky and the whole team.”