The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declared Rishabh Pant fit for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as wicketkeeper-batter. He will now return to play top flight cricket for the first time since surviving a life threatening accident in December 2022. Pant is also expected to lead Delhi Capitals who are scheduled to play their opening game against Punjab Kings in Mohali on March 23.
Meanwhile, the BCCI has also confirmed that fast bowlers Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Shami will not feature in IPL 2024 due to different injury. Both players underwent surgeries last month for quadriceps and heel injury respectively and will be starting their rehabilitation soon at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru.
“After undergoing an extensive 14-month rehab and recovery process, following a life-threatening road mishap on December 30th, 2022, near Roorkee, Uttarakhand, Rishabh Pant has now been declared fit as a wicket-keeper batter for the upcoming IPL 2024.
IPLL mega auction confirmed for 2025
“The fast bowler underwent surgery on February 23rd, 2024, on his left proximal quadriceps tendon. He is currently being monitored by the BCCI Medical Team and will resume rehab at the National Cricket Academy soon. He will not be able to take part in the upcoming IPL 2024.
“The fast bowler successfully underwent surgery on February 26th, 2024, for his right heel problem. He is currently being monitored by the BCCI medical team and is ruled out of the upcoming IPL 2024,” the statement from BCCI read updating the fitness of said three players.
Rishabh Pant returns
Coming back to Rishabh Pant, his fitness clearance comes only a day after BCCI Secretary Jay Shah informed that he was doing well in terms of making a comeback and can even play the T20 World Cup is he resumes as a wicket-keeper.
“If he can play the T20 World Cup for us, that will be a big thing for us. He is a big asset for us. If he can keep, he can play the World Cup. Let's see how he does in the IPL,” Shah told PTI.
As for Krishna, he will miss the IPL for the second consecutive year. He didn’t play IPL 2023 as well due to stress fracture. Even then, the Rajasthan Royals had retained him for the upcoming edition having spent a mammoth amount of INR 10 crore on him at the mega auction. He played only in IPL 2022 for the Royals and is expected to be released now as the IPL Chairman recently confirmed the mega auction ahead of the next edition.
As far as Shami is concerned, the fast bowler has not played a single competitive match since the World Cup due to the heel injury. He played the mega event through pain taking tablets and finally underwent surgery for the same last month that ruled him out of the cash-rich league. Gujarat Titans are yet to name a replacement for him as well.
