Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly has confirmed that star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is in good shape and will be part of the Delhi Capitals (DC) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season. Pant has arrived in Kolkata to join the team’s training camp but will not participate in training during the initial phase of preparations.
The Delhi Capitals are among the few teams that have already initiated their training camps, with some players who are available for the camp starting their training at the Jadavpur University second Campus Cricket Association of Bengal ground in Saltlake, Kolkata. Pant will remain in the city until November 11, as per Ganguly.
Rishabh Pant had been leading the Delhi Capitals since the 2021 IPL season but missed the 2023 IPL due to injuries sustained in a serious road accident the previous year.
According to Ganguly, “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.”
Visuals from the Delhi Capitals’ training camp in Kolkata show that the 26-year-old Pant looks fit and is not wearing knee straps, indicating his progress towards full fitness after the injuries he sustained in a car accident last year.
Pant is expected to make his return to competitive cricket early next year, and there is speculation that he could make his international comeback during a home Test series against England in early 2024.
Rishabh Pant’s extended absence from cricket was a result of the road accident, which forced him to miss several significant events, including the IPL, the World Test Championship Final, the Asia Cup, the ODI World Cup at home, and various bilateral series. He underwent surgery to address his multiple injuries.
