3 reasons why BCCI shouldn't rush Rishabh Pant's recovery for 2023 World Cup
Team India have their eyes set on the 2023 ODI World Cup, with Rishabh Pant's inclusion still in doubt. There are high expectations from the team given that the tournament is scheduled to take place on home soil.
The Men in Blue performed relatively well in the ODIs during the home season in the initial months of 2023. The management have an idea of the squad that they wish to take for the tournament in the October-November window. A lot can happen between now and then, and Rishabh Pant's unfortunate injury is an example for the same.
The wicket-keeper suffered a traumatic car accident in December 2022, rendering him out of action for an indefinite period. He had to miss several crucial national team assignments and watched on helplessly as his franchise, the Delhi Capitals (DC) finished ninth in the 2023 Indian Premier League (IPL).
Recent reports suggest that Pant is well ahead of schedule in terms of his recovery and his potential involvement in the World Cup cannot be ruled out at this moment.
While it seems like a tantalising prospect given how his abilities help the team, here are three reasons why the BCCI should not rush him back for the World Cup.
#1 A high-pressure situation like WC is not ideal as an avenue to return
The World Cup is a high-pressure situation enough, without all the added elements that the Indian team bring with them. The high-profile team have not won an ICC trophy for a decade coupled with the fact that the tournament is taking place in India just adds more pressure.
The pressure increases ten-folds for a player potentially returning to the squad for the tournament without any prior preparation, almost like a wildcard. Pant is certainly not going to feature in the Asia Cup and there are not many avenues for him to make his return that is not shrouded in pressure.
He last played a competitive game of cricket in December 2022 and throwing him straight into the cauldron against some of the top oppositions in the world, might be cruel from a standpoint. The ideal scenario arguably is to expose him to cricket gradually in a low-pressure environment, potentially a bilateral series or even domestic cricket for that matter.
#2 KL Rahul has been doing a solid job in Pant's absence
The fact that Rishabh Pant might not be available for the World Cup is not a recent revelation for the team management. The gruesome nature of the accident as well as the medical team's reports have prompted them to prepare for a life without their first-choice wicket-keeper.
KL Rahul has evolved to be the answer as Pant's replacement in the middle order as well as with the gloves. While the Karnataka-born player is injured at the moment, he is likely to make a comeback at the Asia Cup and keep the gloves for India at the World Cup as well.
Rahul has had to settle for a place in the middle order, with skipper Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill striking a chord at the top. His familiarity after playing the No.5 position earlier as well helps in this case and he has done a commendable job so far.
Ishan Kishan is also another relatively proven wicket-keeping option. He is versatile batting anywhere in the batting order and presents himself as a left-handed batting option as well.
#3 Aggravation of injuries could potentially derail his career further
Recovery from multiple serious injuries can be a complicated as well as an ardous process. There is always a risk of Rishabh Pant potentially aggravating his complex knee injuries, especially since he is a wicket-keeper. Such aggravation is a realistic possibility if he is rushed back into a high-performance environment.
Keeping an eye on India's impending transition period, it is crucial that they have Pant's presence as one of the experienced members to guide the new crop of players. Another stumble at this stage of his career through injuries could cost Pant even more time, which could derail his career as well.
Keeping the big picture in mind, the best course of action is to let the player ease back into action and gradually incorporate him into the team in terms of formats.
Will Rishabh Pant feature at the 2023 ODI World Cup for Team India? Let us know what you think.