IPL 2021: 'Glad that he won the toss,' says Shikhar Dhawan on Rishabh Pant's start as Delhi Capitals' skipper

Delhi Capitals got off to a sensational start in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 14th edition under the new skipper Rishabh Pant against the Chennai Super Kings as they chased down the 189-run target with eight balls to spare on Saturday in Mumbai. Openers Prithvi Shaw and Shikhar Dhawan stitched a 138-run partnership off just 81 balls to deflate the CSK bowling attack.

Dhawan top-scored with 85 runs off just 54 balls and was adjudged the 'Player of the Match' for his knock. Being a senior player in the side, Dhawan raved about the 23-year old's captaincy in the first game.

Answering a DNA query at the post-match press conference, Dhawan said, "He [Rishabh Pant] did quite well. First of all, glad that he won the toss. It was a bit sticky wicket so it was good for us to bat second.

"He kept his calm and he kept on motivating the boys, he did good [bowling] changes as well and I'm sure he'll only gonna get refined from here, it was his first match. The best thing is he stays calm. His presence of mind is quite there.

"As a senior player, of course I give my advice to him and to the youngsters whenever they come to me for batting tips or mindset things, for sure I always share my knowledge to them," Dhawan added.

Pant, walking alongside his mentor Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the toss, won and chose to bowl first on a Wankhede wicket that kept on getting better as the dew came on. The Delhi Capitals restricted The CSK side to 188 and chased down these core in just 18.4 overs as Dhawan continued his form from the last year where he amassed 618 runs in the 2020 season.

Capitals will next face the Rajasthan Royals on April 15, Thursday.