Delhi Capitals name explosive young batter as replacement for Rishabh Pant for IPL 2023

Ending all speculations, Delhi Capitals on Friday (March 31) named Rishabh Pant's replacement for IPL 2023. The IPL franchise has named West Bengal wicketkeeper-batter Abhishek Porel, 20, as a replacement for injured Rishabh Pant.

Abhishek Porel has played 16 first-class, 3 List A and 3 T20s in his career so far and has scored 695 runs at an average of 30.21. Porel has 58 catches and 8 stumpings against his name in first-class cricket. Earlier this year, Porel had also scored half-centuries in the semi-final and final of the Ranji Trophy.

Delhi Capitals has named star Australian opener David Warner as their captain for IPL 2023 in Rishabh Pant’s absence, who is currently recovering from a major injury. All-rounder Axar Patel has been named the vice captain of Delhi Capitals, while former India captain Sourav Ganguly has taken charge as Delhi Capitals’ Director of Cricket.

It is likely that Rishabh Pant would remain out of action for a significant period of time and he may even miss the ODI World Cup later this year. The Delhi Capitals are set to face off against the Lucknow Super Giants in their inaugural match of the IPL 2023 season on Saturday, April 1, 2023.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Indians (MI) have announced that Jasprit Bumrah will not be participating in IPL 2023 and have named his replacement. The renowned Indian fast bowler has been forced to withdraw from IPL 2023 due to a recent back surgery. This persistent issue also caused him to miss the T20 World Cup last year. However, Sandeep Warrier has stepped up to fill his shoes and join the five-time IPL champions.