Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting. (Photo Source: DC)
Following a 15-month hiatus, Rishabh Pant is all set to make his return when Delhi Capitals (DC) take on Punjab Kings (PBKS) in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) on March 23, in Chandigarh.
Pant had been sidelined after a near-fatal car accident that occurred in December 2022.
After undergoing surgeries he successfully completed his rehabilitation process and received fitness clearance by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) earlier in March. Meanwhile, Ricky Ponting, DC head coach, had said that Pant has been doing well in the team’s training session. The former Australia captain also revealed that sometimes the youngster spent too much time in the nets and had to be dragged out.
“We had a week’s training in Vizag before coming here and trust me Rishabh is back and ready to play. He is batting and moving behind the stumps beautifully. Sometimes he bats too much and I have to drag him out of nets,” Ponting was quoted as saying by News 18.
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“I’ve seen where his game is at, and don’t be surprised if something special happens tomorrow. His attitude and smile and what he wants to do for the team is infectious. Everyone wants to be like Rishabh,” he added.
Having Pant back is going to make this team a lot stronger: Ponting
Ricky Ponting further expressed confidence in his team, stating Rishabh Pant’s return makes them stronger. Notably, during Pant’s absence, DC were led by David Warner in the previous edition. The 49-year-old also believes that Delhi can have a great year this time after they had a dismal campaign last year finishing ninth in the points table with just five wins.
“We are about to start an IPL, it’s really an exciting time of the year. It becomes more exciting when your captain is back in your team. Last year, we missed him. He is our leader. He is the heartbeat of this franchise and having him back is going to make this team a lot stronger,” the Australian legend continued.
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“Make no mistake, we have got a great team this year. Our preparations have been absolutely perfect. We are just looking to topping it off today, and make sure we put in a performance that I know would be good enough to win the game tomorrow (Saturday),” Ponting concluded.