Sam Billings lauds Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant's abilities ahead of IPL 2021

England limited-overs batsman Sam Curran has heaped praise on wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant by saying the latter is the best young player that he has seen. Both Billings and Pant will be representing last year's finalists Delhi Capitals in IPL 2021 that gets underway on April 9.

'I remember the first time...': Sam Billings

“I remember the first time I saw Rishabh play. We had a middle practice, and he was hitting bowlers like Chris Morris, Nathan Coulter-Nile and lot of other bowlers everywhere and then I asked Rahul Dravid (the then mentor of the now-defunct Delhi Daredevils), ‘Who is this guy?’ And now we all know who Rishabh Pant is and I actually said back then that he’s probably the best young player I have ever seen. We have seen what he does on a regular basis in the India shirt and also in the Delhi shirt. I am really happy for him and he will go from strength to strength,” said  Sam Billings in a Delhi Capitals release.

Both Billings and Pant had represented the now-defunct Delhi Daredevils in the 2017 edition of the Indian Premier League. 

Rishabh Pant in IPL 2021

The Delhi-based franchise will kickstart their IPL 2021 campaign when they lock horns with the three-time winners Chennai Super Kings at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 10.

Meanwhile, the Delhi stumper has been appointed DC's skipper for the 14th edition of the marquee tournament after a shoulder injury has ruled out regular skipper Shreyas Iyer for a considerable amount of time. The franchise had made it official on Tuesday evening.

 Iyer had injured his shoulder while fielding at cover during the first ODI against England. In a pursuit to save runs for India, Shreyas Iyer dived to stop the ball struck by English opener Jonny Bairstow off pacer Shardul Thakur. Although the middle-order batsman stopped the ball, he landed awkwardly on his shoulder and he seemed to be in deep discomfort as he walked off the field and was sent for an X-ray.