Sunil Gavaskar backed Rishabh Pant and shared words of encouragement to uplift his spirit after DC’s defeat to SRH.
The Delhi Capitals suffered a crushing defeat against Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday. Hyderabad piled on a massive 266 runs after winning the toss and electing to bat first. In reply, DC fell short by 67 runs. The disappointment was evident on Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant’s face during the post-match presentation. Recognising Pant’s dejection, legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar offered some words of encouragement.
“I never want your head down; there are lots of games, so keep a smile always,” said Gavaskar, in the post-match presentation, aiming to lift Pant’s spirits. Pant acknowledged the advice, responding, “I will try my best, sir.”
Looking back at the match, Pant explained the thought process behind his decision to bowl first. “The only thought process behind the toss was the dew, which didn’t come,” Pant said.
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Pant pinpointed the powerplay overs as the turning point of the match. “Powerplay was the difference. They got around 120–130, and we were just catching up throughout the match. That was the massive difference,” added Pant.
Despite the setback, Pant remains optimistic about his team’s prospects. He said, “We had a pretty good chance with 220-230 to chase. Hopefully, we will come back better with a clear mindset.” He also appreciated the praise-worthy performance of McGurk, stating, “Jake Fraser-McGurk is batting phenomenal and coming nice for us. That’s what you want.”
Looking forward, Pant emphasised the importance of team unity. “More about sticking together as a team at the hardest time. It’s a difficult pill to swallow, but we need to look at areas to improve and come back for the next game,” concluded Pant.
Meanwhile, DC booked their third loss of the tournament and sits in seventh place. They will have their next outing against the Gujarat Titans on April 24th.
Last Updated on April 21, 2024
