Rishabh Pant joins Virat Kohli, Gautam Gambhir in unique IPL list, creates new Delhi Capitals record

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant recorded a key milestone with the franchise on Thursday, as he became the first player from the side to appear in 100 Indian Premier League matches. Pant reached this feat during the game against Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur; he had made his debut in the league with DC way back in 2015, and was named the captain of the side in 2022. Delhi Capitals' captain Rishabh Pant, facing the camera, talks to Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson at the coin toss(AP)

Pant made a much-awaited return to cricketing action in IPL 2024, ending a 14-month wait since his near-fatal car accident. The Delhi Capitals captain, contrary to earlier reports, not only recorded full fitness but also retained his leadership role for the season, replacing David Warner who captained in his stead last year.

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Ahead of the clash against the Royals, Pant was tied with Amit Mishra for joint-most appearances for the Capitals (99). Here's the list of players with the most DC caps in IPL history (* denotes players still active for the franchise):

Rishabh Pant - 100*

Amit Mishra - 99

Shreyas Iyer - 87

David Warner - 82*

Virender Sehwag - 79

As he became the first DC player to notch 100 appearances, he also joined the likes of Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir, among other IPL stalwarts who also became the first to reach the three-figure mark with a franchise. Here's the complete list of the first players to reach 100 IPL matches for a team:

Suresh Raina (CSK)

Harbhajan Singh (MI)

Virat Kohli (RCB)

Gautam Gambhir (KKR)

Ajinkya Rahane (RR)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar (SRH)

Rishabh Pant (DC)

Pant won the toss in Jaipur and opted to bowl as Delhi Capitals chase their first win in the season. The side faced a disappointing defeat at the hands of Punjab Kings in its season opener last week.

The wicketkeeper-batter, in his first batting innings since his return to the game, may have scored just 18 off 13 deliveries but did display a series of characteristic strokes throughout his short stay at the crease. Pant also remained lively behind the stumps and also showcased his fast reflexes with a stumping dismissal against Jitesh Sharma.

Capitals eye improved season

Boosted by Pant's arrival and the return of Anrich Nortje in the second match of the season against Royals, Delhi Capitals look for a much-improved season after they finished a dismal ninth in 2023. RR, meanwhile, narrowly missed on a playoff spot in the previous edition but began the 2024 campaign with a strong 20-run win over Lucknow Super Giants.

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