T20 World Cup 2024: Former Australian cricketer Ricky Ponting has banked on wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant to go big for Team India in the impending ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The Aussie legend overlooked the likes of Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah, who are in sensational form, and picked Rishabh Pant to create a massive impact for the team.
Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant had a memorable comeback to competitive cricket after being away from the sport for close to a year following the horrific accident.
Pant’s stocks once again saw a sharp rise as he piled up 466 runs for his side during the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 at an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40. He ended up being the highest run-getter for his side with three half-century scores during the season.
Besides his batting heroics, Pant also inflicted the joint most dismissals being behind the wickets. Pant accounted for 16 dismissals with the gloves during the season for Delhi Capitals.
Talking about Pant’s recovery and his resurgence in competitive cricket after being laid down for a year, Ricky Ponting, Delhi Capitals (DC) head coach, said, “It’s been nothing short of spectacular, to be honest.”
Ponting opened up on his interaction with Rishabh Pant last year, when he was undergoing his rehab, and mentioned that he feared that the glovesman would never be able to play the sport again. However, defying the odds, Rishabh Pant returned to competitive cricket with a bang.
“I spent a few months with him in the middle of the IPL last year, which was only sort of three or four months after his accident. And I had grave fears then that he would never play the game again. What he’d been through psychologically, but what he’d been through physically. At that stage, he still couldn’t walk,” Ricky Ponting told ICC.
“He was on crutches. And I remember saying to him, what do you think about next season? He just looked at me and said, don’t worry, I’ll be right. And he’s looked after himself incredibly well.”
Quality Wicketkeeping got Rishabh Pant a place in India’s T20 World Cup Squad
Rishabh Pant’s heroics throughout the TATA IPL 2024 were closely monitored by the BCCI, who were keen to have him back in the Blues of the Indian team. Soon, following his exploits in the tournament, he was picked in India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad as a primary wicketkeeper.
While Rishabh Pant’s batting was on par with what the experts and BCCI expected, what got him a place in the Indian side was his quality wicketkeeping abilities.
“He’d been picked in the Indian squad, and I basically said he’d be one of the first players picked, and sure enough he was. So, great to see him back out there playing again. I’ve enjoyed every moment of working with him. Obviously, he’s been the captain of the Delhi Capitals, and I’ve been the coach there.”
Further Ponting hoped that Rishabh Pant would continue his sublime show in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 as well following his superlative show in the IPL.
“But it’s been a remarkable comeback, and hopefully he has a huge impact on this World Cup.”
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