IPL 2021: Rishabh Pant explains how sitting on balcony helps to get used to UAE conditions

Delhi Capitals(DC) skipper Rishabh Pant, after a long tour of England, was spotted on the balcony of his room hotel in order to get acclimatized to the hot and humid conditions in the United Arab Emirates. DC play their first match of the second leg of the Indian Premier League(IPL) against Sunrisers Hyderabad(SRH) on September 22. Meanwhile, Pant joined the DC squad a few days ago, following the fifth Test match between India and England getting called off. Pant reached UAE and spent the mandatory quarantine period in his hotel room, where he also spent some time on his balcony to get used to the UAE conditions.

DC released a video on the official Twitter handle on Saturday, in which Rishabh said, “It’s pretty hot here in the UAE. I was trying to sit on the balcony during my quarantine period as much as possible to get used to the conditions. But, it still felt quite hot when I took part in my first practice session here. I’m just trying to get used to the conditions now and hopefully, I will be fully acclimatized to the conditions in 2-3 days”. UAE is well known for its hot and humid conditions, which is just the opposite of a country like England. In order to play well in this country, players need to be hydrated, especially while bowling and fielding.  

Rishabh Pant to continue leading Delhi Capitals in UAE

Earlier on September 16, DC announced that Rishabh Pant will continue leading the team in the second half despite Shreyas Iyer making a comeback into the team. In the 2021 season so far, the wicket-keeper batsman has scored 213 runs in eight matches with a strike rate of 131.48. His highest score in the tournament so far is 58 not-out, which he scored during the Match no. 22 against Royal Challengers Bangalore(RCB). Under his captaincy, DC has won six out of eight games and find themselves at the top of the table ahead of giants like Chennai Super Kings(CSK) and RCB. As the IPL 2021 makes a return in the UAE, DC will look to continue their momentum and head into the second half of the tournament with the aspiration of winning the trophy.

(With inputs from PTI)

(Image: PTI)