Delhi Capitals have announced the appointment of Australian batter, David Warner, as the team's captain for the upcoming 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL) season. Warner will be leading the franchise in the absence of Rishabh Pant, who is currently undergoing rehabilitation after being involved in a horrific car accident, back in December 2022.
Currently in his second stint with the team from the capital, having previously represented the erstwhile Delhi Daredevils between 2009-2013, Warner has prior experience of leading a team in this competition.
It was under captaincy that Sunrisers Hyderabad won their solitary title in 2016.
After being roped in as the captain, the 36-year-old told DC “Rishabh has been a terrific leader for Delhi Capitals, and we’re all going to miss having him around. I would like to thank the management for the faith and trust they’ve always shown in me. This franchise has always been home for me, and I couldn’t be more excited to lead such a supremely talented bunch of players. I can’t wait to meet them all, and get cracking!”
Co-owner and chairman of the team, Parth Jindal explained the rationale behind Warner’s appointment by saying “In Rishabh’s absence, there couldn’t have been a more apt candidate than David to lead the Delhi Capitals. With him as our leader, and Ricky and Dada overseeing all proceedings, I have no doubt that we are going to be the team to watch out for in the competition.”
Axar Patel has been appointed as the Australian's deputy.
Sourav Ganguly Joins DC as Director of Cricket
Besides Warner, there has been another high-profile appointment at DC ahead of the season. Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, who previously was a mentor of the franchise in 2019, has been roped in as DC’s Director of Cricket.
“I’m excited to be back with the Delhi Capitals. My association with the women’s team, and the Pretoria Capitals over the last few months has been fantastic, and I’m looking forward to the upcoming season of the IPL,” Ganguly said about the renewed association. The team had also organized a camp in Kolkata recently, where the former BCCI president was seen guiding the players.
Delhi Capitals will embark on their IPL 2023 journey with a match against Lucknow Super Giants, which will be played at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium on 1 April. Their first home match will be against the defending champions, Gujarat Titans, on 4 April.
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