Rishabh Pant makes his comeback in IPL 2024 after his tragic accident on the 2023 New Year’s Eve. It’s been 14 months since the car crash that twisted Pant’s right knee in an impossible 90-degree angle.
The leg was straightened before he was brought out of the car which added to the damage.
“We are delighted to welcome Rishabh back as our captain. Grit and fearlessness have always dictated his brand of cricket, and not surprisingly, even his road to recovery. I can’t wait to see him walk our team out once again as we look forward to a new season with renewed passion, vigour and enthusiasm,” said DC chairman and co-owner Parth Jindal in a media release.
The left-hander has been a part of the Capital’s pre-season preparatory camp in Visakhapatnam, ahead of their first IPL 2024 match against Punjab Kings in Chandigarh on March 23.
Earlier, Pant was given clearance by the BCCI to play as a wicketkeeper batter in this year’s IPL. “After undergoing an extensive 14-month rehab and recovery process, following a life-threatening road mishap on December 30, 2022, near Roorkee, Uttarakhand, Rishabh Pant has now been declared fit as a wicket-keeper batter for the upcoming IPL 2024,” the board had stated in a medical update.
Delhi head coach Ricky Ponting too had given a thumbs-up for the way Pant was playing at nets during the team’s camp.
“We missed him incredibly last year. The whole tournament missed him. Rishabh brings so much energy to the team. He’s got that smile on his face, he’s hitting the ball as good as ever and he tends to lift all of his teammates around him,” said Ponting.
Predicted Playing XI
Punjab Kings: Prabhsimran Singh, Shikhar Dhawan (C), Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Sikandar Raza, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Atharva Taide, Harshal Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Kagiso Rabada, Harpreet Brar
Delhi Capitals: David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Rishabh Pant (C), Tristian Stubbs, Yash Dhull, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Anrich Nortje
Pitch Report
This is the first time that an IPL match will take place at the newly launched Maharaja Yadavindra Singh Cricket Stadium.
When to watch
The match will take place after the opening ceremony and will begin at 8:00 PM IST, instead of its usual 7:30 PM IST time. Meanwhile, the toss will take place at 7:30 PM IST.
Where to Watch
The match will be streamed for free on the JioCinema application and website. It will also be televised simultaneously on the Star Sports Network.