Hopeful Rishabh Pant will be fit by March to play for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024: GMR Sports CEO
GMR Sports CEO PKSV Sagar is hopeful of Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant recovering in time for the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). He asserted that the keeper-batter is recovering very well.
26-year-old Pant has been out of cricketing action since being involved in a horrific car accident in December 2022. There have been unconfirmed reports that the aggressive batter could make a comeback during IPL 2024.
Speaking to news agency ANI, Sagar, CEO of GMR Sports, which co-owns the Delhi Capitals franchise, opened up on Pant’s recovery process and commented:
"Yes, we are hoping for the best. We can expect that he will play this season. He is the biggest player… if he plays, then it will be good for us. Our coaches and physio are doing work on him and the best part is this he is recovering very well. We hope by March he will be fit and play for us.”
Pant had attended the Delhi Capitals’ camp in Kolkata in November last year where Sourav Ganguly (director of cricket), Ricky Ponting (head coach), and Pravin Amre (assistant coach) were also present. Subsequently, the keeper-batter attended the IPL 2024 auction in Dubai.
The left-hander has played 98 IPL matches so far, scoring 2,838 runs at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of 147.97, with one hundred and 15 fifties.
Recently, Pant was seen interacting with the Indian team ahead of their third T20I against Afghanistan in Bengaluru. The stumper is undergoing his recovery at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
Zaheer Khan doesn’t see Rishabh Pant being part of T20 World Cup squad
A number of cricket experts reckon that Pant should be picked in the Indian squad for the 2024 World Cup if he makes a comeback in the IPL and performs well. However, former India pacer Zaheer Khan feels that the Men in Blue management might not be thinking in that direction.
“Firstly, he has to come back and play. It’s not easy at this level. You need to get used to it and get the rhythm back. Those things might take time. It’s great if it doesn’t. However, keeping all things in mind, even if he has a very good IPL, I don’t think the team will be thinking in that direction,” Zaheer told Colors Cineplex.
Pant has played 33 Tests, 30 ODIs and 66 T20Is so far, scoring 2,271, 865 and 987 runs respectively.