New Delhi: Ricky Ponting, Head Coach of Delhi Capitals departed for India on Sunday for the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) season which begins on April 9.
"Staying safe, on my way to join @delhicapitals and get things started for #IPL2021. Can't wait," wrote the former Australia skipper on his twitter handle.
He will reach Mumbai, where his team is stationed, and undergo a week-long quarantine before entering the bio-secure bubble.
His first task will be to finalise the captain of the Delhi Capitals squad after regular skipper Shreyas Iyer was ruled out, possibly for the entire season, after dislocating his shoulder in the first ODI against England last Tuesday.
Shikhar Dhawan, Steve Smith and Ajinkya Rahane are favourites to take over the mantle of captaincy from Iyer.
Delhi Capitals had finished runners-up during the last edition and a lot of credit was accorded to the way Ponting had inspired his team through the season. Let's take a close at the top contenders:
Steve Smith
Steve Smith was signed to DC for just Rs 2.2 Crore in the 2021 auction. No doubt, the right hander and Australia captain is a run machine. He led Rajasthan in the previous season but wasn't able to get the best result. Moreover, his T20 form has been that good lately. Smith's experience as a skipper, both in IPL as well as for Australia might ask the management to hand him the driver's wheel.
Shikhar Dhawan
The Gabbar is another on the list to guide the team after his Indian teammate Shreyas Iyer is left out amid injury. With his decent form in the recently concluded series against England, management can definitely think about him. He was in stellar form last year when he emerged as the team's highest run scorer. Dhawan's form, confidence can make him the lead of the team.
Ajinkya Rahane
Steve Smith's colleague at Rajadthan Royals, Ajinkya Rahane was transferred from Rajasthan Royals to the Delhi Capitals two years back Ajinkya hold the record of playing most number of games for RR. Though his stint as a captain was not very successfula at RR, Jinx is one of the experienced in the Delhi squadron. The Indian Test team's Vice Captain does have the ability to lead at the highest level. Also, Rahane's calming presence also make him a great choice for the captain's position.
