Rumors about Rishabh Pant’s comeback to Delhi Capitals for IPL 2024 has been circulating within cricket circles and among fans. Speculations increased after various sources suggested the chances of Pant taking up his position as the captain of Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season.
As per reports, Rishabh Pant has shown significant progress and is expected to take part in the upcoming IPL season. The 26-year-old recently participated in a practice match in Alur, near Bengaluru, hinting at his potential comeback to competitive cricket after an extended break.
On December 30, 2022, Rishabh Pant encountered a frightening car accident while traveling from Delhi to his hometown of Roorkee. The Indian cricketer was driving alone when he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, causing his Mercedes to collide with a road divider and then catch fire.
Local people, including a bus driver, quickly came to his aid, and he was taken to a hospital in Roorkee before being transferred to Max Hospital in Dehradun for further medical attention.
Pant suffered various injuries, including cuts on his forehead, a torn ligament in his right knee, and scrapes on his back. He underwent surgery to address these injuries.
According to the Cricbuzz, Pant’s flexibility remains unaffected, enabling him to bat and move around the field freely. However, as per the rumors, Delhi Capitals’ management has decided to reduce Pant’s workload by relieving him of wicket-keeping responsibilities for IPL 2024.
However, Pant appears to have responded to these rumors by posting a video on his official Instagram account. The initial part of the video shows Pant wearing his gloves and participating in a training session, showcasing sharp skills behind the stumps. Later, the Indian wicketkeeper is seen batting, displaying delightful drives and pull shots.
Pant has been India’s primary wicketkeeper-batter across all formats in recent years. However, a tragic car accident forced him to miss several major cricketing events, including IPL 2023 and the ODI World Cup 2024.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) previously updated positively on Pant’s progress in July 2023, mentioning that he resumed batting and keeping in nets and made significant strides in rehabilitation.
Pant’s return to Delhi Capitals brings back the much-needed middle-order strength they lacked in the previous season. With his dynamic leadership and experience, the team’s performance is expected to increase in IPL 2024.
Recently, DC head coach Ricky Ponting expressed confidence in Pant’s prepareness, stating that the star player is fully committed to participating in the entirety of this year’s IPL.
Since making his debut in 2016, Pant has been a reliable performer for Delhi Capitals in the IPL. He has led the franchise in 30 IPL matches, winning 16 of them.
Across his 98 IPL appearances, Pant has scored 2,838 runs. Known for his aggressive batting style, he has notched up 15 half-centuries and one century in the IPL, maintaining an impressive strike rate of 147.97.
In IPL 2024, the Delhi Capitals, led by Rishabh Pant, will play alongside strong players like David Warner, Prithvi Shaw, Kuldeep Yadav, and Ishant Sharma. They have a mix of experienced and young players, making them a tough team to beat.
David Warner hits the ball hard, Prithvi Shaw plays aggressively, and Kuldeep Yadav spins the ball well, while Ishant Sharma bowls fast and has lots of experience. Even though they haven’t won the IPL yet, they’ve played well before.
With Rishabh Pant leading them and a talented squad, they’re serious about winning the IPL 2024 and getting their first championship title.
Utpal is a journalist covering online and offline sports in India. He has passion for everything sports and is a regular at various sports events. Follow him to stay abreast of all things sports.
