"Pant makes a difference to our batting...": DC DoC Ganguly on team's loss to RCB

New Delhi [India], May 13 (ANI): Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly expressed on Monday that Rishabh Pant, the team's skipper, makes a huge difference in his team's batting and his absence was one of the reasons why DC lost to Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on Sunday.
RCB continued with their second-half surge, making it five wins in five matches and climbing up to the fifth spot with a 47-run win over DC at their home ground of M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Sunday. After losing seven of the first eight league games, RCB has turned their season around with five successive wins to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Speaking to the media ahead of their final league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium scheduled for Wednesday, Ganguly said to the media, "Yesterday yes (if DC lost because of Pant's absence), Rishabh makes a big difference to our batting."
Pant was fined Rs 30 lakh and suspended for one match after his team maintained a slow over-rate during their clash against Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024. This was the third time Pant has been fined for maintaining a slow over rate. For the first two offences, he was fined but after DC breached the IPL Code of Conduct for the third time in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), Pant has been suspended for one match.
Pant is in fine form in this IPL, scoring 413 runs in 12 matches at an average of 41.30, with three fifties and a strike rate of 156.43. His best score is 88*.
Ganguly also expressed optimism that Indian skipper Rohit Sharma, who is currently facing a decline in form for Mumbai Indians (MI) in the ongoing IPL, will play well in the T20 World Cup.
"India is a very good team. Rohit will play well in the World Cup. He plays well in big tournaments. At the big stage, he will be fine," said Ganguly.
Rohit in the ongoing season, has scored 349 runs in 13 innings at an average of 29.08, with a century and strike rate of 145.41. The last few matches have not been good for Rohit, scoring just 52 runs in the last six innings.
Ganguly also expressed that star batter Virat Kohli should open for the team in the WC.
In the ongoing IPL season, Virat is the Orange Cap holder for most runs, making 661 runs at an average of 66.10 and a strike rate of 155.16, with a century and five fifties. His best score is 113*. RCB, who has made a remarkable comeback in the tournament with five successive wins after a horrid win-loss record of 1-6 in the first half, will need Virat to be at his best against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in their final league game at Bengaluru on May 18 for a chance at playoffs. (ANI)