Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting has said that Rishabh Pant is confident of playing every game in IPL 2024.
India’s star player and wicketkeeper batsman is recovering from a near-fatal road accident that occurred over a year ago. Although he is yet to play competitive cricket, he is making steady progress and aims to get his fitness up for IPL 2024.
Ricky Ponting spoke about Pant’s possibility of playing in IPL 2024 after he was appointed as the head coach of MLC franchise Washington Freedom. Ponting said that he is very confident that Pant will play the entire IPL 2024 even though he may not be able to keep wickets or lead the team.
“Rishabh is very confident that he will play properly,” Ponting said. “We still don’t know completely what it’s capable of. You’ve seen everything on social media, it’s working, it’s working well. But we’re only six weeks away from the first game. I would also say no. So I don’t know if I will be able to take wickets off him this year.
“But if you asked him now, he would say, ‘I play every game, I keep every game, I bat at No. 4.’ That’s his personality. But we… I intend to maintain a solemn attitude.” He’s a very dynamic player. He’s obviously our captain. We missed him very much last year. ”
While Pant is confident that he is healthy enough to play the entire season, Ponting is realistic in assessing the situation and says any number of games they get from him could be a bonus for Delhi Capitals. He said it would be.
“If you understand the journey he has been on over the last 12-13 months, it was a terrifying event. He is extremely lucky to have survived, let alone to have the chance to play cricket again. I know it was.
“We just sit back and hope he can go out and play.” Even if it’s not every game, if we can get him through 10 of 14 games or something. We’re going to be able to beat him in every match that happens. What you get from it can be a bonus. ”
The former Australian captain also confirmed that David Warner will continue in his role as the team’s interim captain if Pant is not fit enough to lead DC.
IPL 2024 is scheduled to begin around the last week of March.
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