If Rishabh Pant does return to action, it will be his maiden appearance since featuring in the Bangladesh tour in late 2022
Speculations over a possible return in the 2024 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was rife when Rishabh Pant was spotted at a Delhi Capitals camp in Kolkata last month in the presence of senior franchise support staff including Sourav Ganguly (director of cricket), Ricky Ponting (head coach), and Pravin Amre (assistant coach). A month later, a report in ESPNCricinfo revealed that the wicketkeeper-batter is all set for a return, that too as a skipper. However, it was not until Monday, on the eve of the min-auction in Dubai when Pant addressed the rumours.
Pant has been put of cricketing action since incurring a horrible car accident in December 2022, after which all three key ligaments in his right knee were torn. He thereafter spent the entirety of 2023 on the sidelines, recovering at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. It was only in the second half of this year when videos began circulating on social media showing that he has resumed batting, although it was never clear whether he commenced wicketkeeping as well.
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A week back, an ESPNCricinfo report revealed that DC are all set to unleash Pant once again Although it did not specify his role in the XI, the report added that the franchise are happy to have him back both as a batter and a captain.
Speaking to the franchise ahead of the mini-auction for the IPL 2024 season, Pant broke silence on his speculated return saying that he is in much better place than he was few months back, but still requires a few months to gain 100 per cent fitness.
“Much better, given what I was doing few months ago. I’m still on recovery to 100 per cent but hopefully in few months time I will be able to do it,” Rishabh Pant said.
When further asked about his road to recovery, Pant, who is set to be on the auction table in Dubai, added: “It has been really amazing because whenever we keep playing cricket we feel no one loves us because there is so much pressure. Yes it was a hard time, but at least I got to know that people love and respect me and kind of kind of concern that they showed by heartwarming and crazy for me. It means a lot and helped a lot in recovery.
Well, Pant and DC have time until March to take the call. And if he does return to action, it will be his maiden appearance since featuring in the Bangladesh tour in late 2022