IPL 2021 MATCH PREVIEW: In CSK vs DC, Pant mulls to use lessons from Dhoni against CSK

The CSK have got a good squad of players and they've got lots of flexibility and a lot of options. I have said to the boys that it's not about last season, but there are a lot of positives that we can take from the way we have played in the last couple of seasons, says Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting.

Mumbai: Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting sounded confident ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) opener against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, saying, "We expect to play better as a group and achieve some better results. We need to approach it with the right attitude and play well. Hopefully, win that game and move onto the second game. But we know that we'll have to play well to win."

After finishing last season as runners-up, Delhi Capitals would be hoping for a maiden IPL title and former Australia skipper said he had full faith in his squad to go the distance.

• 2️⃣ larger than life personalities and friends 🤜🏼🤛🏼
  1️⃣ epic battle in the Island city of Mumbai 💥
  
  CSK 🆚 DC. Let's do this 🔥#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 #CSKvDC@msdhoni @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/w7s5xUwrJo

  — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 10, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  2️⃣ larger than life personalities and friends 🤜🏼🤛🏼
  1️⃣ epic battle in the Island city of Mumbai 💥
  
  CSK 🆚 DC. Let's do this 🔥#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 #CSKvDC@msdhoni @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/w7s5xUwrJo

  — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 10, 2021

  ">

  2️⃣ larger than life personalities and friends 🤜🏼🤛🏼
  1️⃣ epic battle in the Island city of Mumbai 💥
  
  CSK 🆚 DC. Let's do this 🔥#YehHaiNayiDilli #IPL2021 #CSKvDC@msdhoni @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/w7s5xUwrJo

  — Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) April 10, 2021

READ: IPL 2021: It'll be extra special to walk out for the toss with Dhoni, says DC skipper Pant

"The CSK have got a good squad of players and they've got lots of flexibility and a lot of options. But we've got a great squad as well and we want to build on last season. I have said to the boys that it's not about last season, but there are a lot of positives that we can take from the way we have played in the last couple of seasons," said Ponting.

The Aussie legend felt that Suresh Raina, who missed the whole of last season, could make a huge difference to the CSK team in this edition of the IPL, "They (CSK) have a great leader and a great squad. Last year, they were probably disappointed with the way their season worked out, but I think a lot of that had to do with the fact that Raina wasn't there for the entire tournament. He comes back to the squad this year, which is almost like a new recruit for them."

Leading an IPL team for the first time, Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant termed it as an 'extra special' feeling to walk out for the toss with MS Dhoni.

"I have learned a lot from him (Dhoni), and I have gained a lot of experience from him. Hopefully, I can use this experience against him, and we can win this match. That's what I am looking forward to."

• Block you seats for tonight's show #CSKvDC
  Maalai 7:30!#WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/oLGdSDGxNa

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 10, 2021 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Block you seats for tonight's show #CSKvDC
  Maalai 7:30!#WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/oLGdSDGxNa

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 10, 2021

  ">

  Block you seats for tonight's show #CSKvDC
  Maalai 7:30!#WhistlePodu #Yellove 🦁💛 pic.twitter.com/oLGdSDGxNa

  — Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) April 10, 2021

READ: Harshal Patel is RCB’s ‘death bowler’, says Kohli

DC squad: Rishabh Pant (captain/wicketkeeper), Shikhar Dhawan, Prithvi Shaw, Ajinkya Rahane, Steve Smith, Sam Billings, Shimron Hetmyer, Ishant Sharma, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Umesh Yadav, Tom Curran, Avesh Khan, Lalit Yadav, Pravin Dubey, Ripal Patel, Lukman Hussain Meriwala, M Siddharth, Marcus Stoinis, Axar Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin, Chris Woakes, Vishnu Vinod (wicketkeeper), Aditya Tare (wicketkeeper)

CSK squad: MS Dhoni (captain/wicketkeeper), Suresh Raina, Narayan Jagadeesan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, KM Asif, Karn Sharma, Ambati Rayudu, Deepak Chahar, Faf du Plessis, Shardul Thakur, Mitchell Santner, Dwayne Bravo, Lungi Ngidi, Sam Curran, Ravindra Jadeja, Imran Tahir, Robin Uthappa, Moeen Ali, K Gowtham, Cheteshwar Pujara, M.Harisankar Reddy, K.Bhagath Varma, C Hari Nishaanth, R Sai Kishore.