IPL Auction 2024: Rishabh Pant Drops Massive Hint On His Comeback To Professional Cricket
Rishabh Pant’s return in the 2024 edition of the IPL was highly speculated after he was spotted in the Delhi Capitals training camp last month. He was present with the senior management staff including Team Director Sourav Ganguly, Head Coach Ricky Ponting and Assistant Coach Pravin Amre. It was pretty clear that Pant will return as the skipper of Delhi Capitals.
A month later, a report revealed that the wicketkeeper-batter is all set for a return, that too as a skipper of the Delhi Capitals. However, it was not until Monday, on the eve of the IPL auction in Dubai that Rishabh Pant addressed the rumours of him returning in IPL 2024.
Rishabh Pant has been out of the sport since incurring a near-fatal car accident in December 2022. After which he suffered a tear in all three key ligaments in his right knee forcing him to spend the entirety of 2023 on the sidelines, recovering at the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Videos of him batting surfaced in the second half of this year when he started to show huge signs of recovery. However, it is still unknown if he has got back to wicketkeeping.
A report from a week ago revealed that Rishabh Pant is set to be unleashed by Delhi Capitals. However, it did not specify Pant’s role in the XI. Delhi Capitals is happy to have him back as a batter and as well as a skipper and they have announced that Pant will be leading the side if he is available for the IPL 2024.
Rishabh Pant Breaks Silence On The Rumours Of Him Returning To Play The IPL 2024
HERE. WE. GO ?
Smile is ?, Audacity is ?, Look who’s ? ?#YehHaiNayiDilli #RishabhPant #IPLAuction | @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/xVLqvlXI8G
— Delhi Capitals (@DelhiCapitals) December 18, 2023
Rishabh Pant broke silence on the rumours of him returning on the field for the Delhi Capitals. He said that he is better than he was a few months ago but he is still in recovery and will need a few months to be 100% fit. “Much better, given what I was doing a few months ago. I’m still on recovery to 100 per cent but hopefully, in a few months I will be able to do it,” he said.
Rishabh Pant talked about the support he has received on his road to recovery saying, “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.”
Rishabh Pant and Delhi Capitals have enough time to take a call as the IPL doesn’t start until the end of March. He has been in good shape and is progressing well in achieving 100 per cent fitness before the start of IPL 2024. He will be present at the auction table for Delhi Capitals in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19. Pant will be the first reigning captain to actively be a part of the Auctions.
