(Cricket News) It was early last month, where there was no confirmation of Rishabh Pant playing the IPL 2024. A fortnight before the start of IPL 2024, BCCI’s medical team issued a statement clearing Rishabh Pant to resume playing as keeper-batter. Move forward one and a half months and Rishabh is now being considered to fill the spot of keeper-batter in India’s T20 World Cup squad.
Despite of the clearance from the board, their were thoughts that the DC management will not rush Pant straightaway in a full-fledged role of a keeper-batter as well as the skipper of the side. But the manner in which Pant pulled up ahead of the tournament gave all the confidence to the side to play him with all the responsibilities.
Now, DC head coach Ricky Ponting and the team’s Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly have no qualms claiming Pant, having picked up right from where he left, might just have made a very strong case for his international comeback at the World Cup in the Caribbean.
“I think so, yeah, I think yes,” Ganguly said of Pant’s chances to make it to India’s World Cup squad. “Only 15 can make it, but as in any sport it happens, the most equipped and the better ones play and I think Pant is definitely in that bracket, I’m sure he’ll be going to West Indies,” the former BCCI chief noted at a DC media day in New Delhi.
“He should bat in the middle order. Where exactly is very difficult to say in T20 cricket, because of [factors like] match-ups, right-left combinations depending on who bowls, the situation of the game. It’s probably not possible for anyone – rght from no. 3 to 7 – to say with surety what their fixed position is. It doesn’t work like that in T20 cricket especially,” Ganguly added on Pant’s ideal batting position.
Pant has had an impressive IPL 2024 so far. He has kept wickets for his side Delhi Capitals and has been phenomenal behind the stumps with his quick reflexes. He has also looked in good touch with the bat having scored 254 runs at an average of 36.29 and strike-rate a shade above 150. It’s however been a steady return to the vintage Rishabh Pant mould for the destructive batter. It took him a couple of innings to be back to his destructive best.
Ponting detailed how the 26-year-old has regained the confidence on his body while managing the increased workloads over the last month. “I think he’s starting to get a bit more trust and belief in the body as well. Early on he had been a little bit apprehensive as to what he can do, especially with the wicketkeeping side of it. He had done a little bit of batting coming into the tournament, so he had pretty good trust in his leg with the bat in his hand, but I think what we’re seeing with his ability to play every game as a keeper so far, I think he’s batting is getting better and better by the game.
Indian’s squad for the World Cup will likely be announced on the 1st of May, as all the sides are required to submit their on the deadline. It would be interesting to see whether India would back Pant on his comeback or will look for other options.
