Rishabh Pant's Path To T20 World Cup? Explosive Batter Plays Full Game Before IPL 2024 Return
Pant's potential return to cricketing action after a 15-month hiatus, prompted by a tragic car accident, naturally stirs discussions regarding his potential inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad.
Rishabh Pant is poised to make a competitive cricketing return in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) for Delhi Capitals as a specialist batter, reports confirm. Should he be cleared to play, Pant is set to lead Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024.
BCCI
Rishabh Pant's first match since Dec 2022 accident
According to recent reports from Cricbuzz, Pant recently participated in a practice match in Alur, Bengaluru, marking his first foray back into cricket since the harrowing accident on December 30, 2022.
Following the accident, Pant underwent multiple ligament surgeries on his right knee before commencing his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
TIL
Reports affirm that Pant's mobility remains unimpeded, allowing him to bat and run with the same agility as before. Last month, the Delhi-born player received treatment in London, facilitated entirely by the BCCI.
Furthermore, Rishabh Pant has shared an uplifting video from his training session, showcasing his participation in batting and wicketkeeping drills.
Rishabh Pant to return in India's T20 World Squad?
Pant's potential return to cricketing action after a 15-month hiatus, prompted by a tragic car accident, naturally stirs discussions regarding his potential inclusion in the T20 World Cup squad. Earlier this month, Sunil Gavaskar enthusiastically commented that India should consider Pant for the squad even if he is fit to play on one leg.
TIL
Responding to a question about KL Rahul playing in the Indian team as a keeper for the T20 World Cup, Gavaskar said: ¡°I see him (KL Rahul) as a wicketkeeper as well but I will say one thing before that: if Rishabh Pant is fit on even one leg, he should come in the team because he is a game-changer in every format. If I am the selector, I will put his name first.
However, should Pant focus solely on batting in IPL 2024, selectors are unlikely to risk assigning him the wicketkeeping role, despite his impressive performances with the bat in the tournament. Consequently, Pant will vie for a middle-order position against competitors like Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, among others, rather than competing for the wicketkeeper-batsman slot with several contenders.
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Kumar Debvrat is a copyeditor at Indiatimes. He writes about trending topics in India, from human-interest stories to cricket. He has a sharp eye for detail and a passion for storytelling.
