Rishabh Pant is in good shape, will play IPL 2024: Delhi Capitals director Sourav Ganguly
IPL 2024: Director of Cricket of the Delhi Capitals, Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday that Rishabh Pant will be will be in Kolkata until November 11 and revealed the details of his conversation with the wicketkeeper-batter.
In Short
- Rishabh Pant has made steady recover from injuries sustaineed in near-fatal car crash
- Pant has not played competitive cricket since the accident in December 2022
- Sourav Ganguly said Rishabh Pant will not train during Delhi Capitals' training camp in November
Former India captain and Delhi Capitals Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly said on Thursday, November 9 that Rishabh Pant is in good shape and will be part of the team in the Indian Premier League 2024. Rishabh Pant joined the Delhi Capitals training camp in Kolkata but he will not train with the rest of his teammates during his stint in the early preparations for the next season.
Delhi Capitals are among the few teams who have started their training camps. A few of the Delhi Capitals players who are available for the camp began training at the Jadavpur University second Campus Cricket Association of Bengal ground in Saltlake, Kolkata. Rishabh Pant arrived in Kolkata on Thursday and he will be in the city until November 11, according to Ganguly.
Rishabh Pant has been leading Delhi Capitals since the start of the 2021 IPL season. However, he was forced to sit out of IPl 2023 due to multiple injuries he picked up during a life-threatening road accident in December last year.
"Rishabh Pant is in good shape. He will play from next season. He will not practice now. He is here till 11th November. We had a discussion about the team with Pant as he is the captain of the team, considering the upcoming auctions," Sourav Ganguly told India Today in Kolkata,
Rishabh Pant looked comfortable as he took a walk around the ground in visuals from the training camp in Kolkata. The wicketkeeper-batter was not wearing any knee straps as he is on the road to attaining full fitness.
Pant is expected to return to competitive action early next year and there is speculation about his international return during a home Test series against England in early 2024.
The aftermath of the road accident saw Pant sidelined from cricketing action for an extended period. His injuries led him to miss the IPL, and the World Test Championship Final and the Asia Cup an the ODI World Cup at home apart from other bilateral series as he underwent surgery to treat his multiple injuries.
Despite these setbacks, Pant's spirit remained resolved to recover from injuries and return to the field. He referred to his accident as his 'second birth' and kept his fans updated about his recovery process through social media. Pant also had a couple of rehabilitation stints at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
In November 2023, Pant made a trip to Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh, where he visited the Lord Balaji Temple. This visit marked one of his public appearances during his recovery period.
Pant has been one of the finest wicketkeeper-batters in the IPL, having scored 2838 runs in 98 matches. Delhi Capitals had a poor season in 2023 with just 5 wins in 14 matches.