The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday said that Rishabh Pant will play in the upcoming IPL 2024 tournament. The cricket body said that Pant is fit to play as a wicket-keeper in Tata IPL. Rishabh Pant went through an extensive rehab and recovery process for a period of 14 months after he met with a life-threatening road accident on December 30, 2022.
Rishabh Pant suffered a near-fatal road mishap while driving back to his home in Roorkee in December 2022. Due to this accident, the cricketer had multiple surgeries in 2023 and went through a strength and conditioning regimen.
"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 TATA IPL 2024," BCCI said in its medical update.
Moreover, Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting said earlier in March that the star cricketer had been going though wicketkeeping trials at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Ponting added that Pant has played a couple of practice matches over the last couple of weeks.
"I know he's worked incredibly hard on his body and his fitness to get back to the level that he's at now. He's kept one of those games, he's fielded in these games and the batting hasn't been an issue for him so far," Ponting said.
Rishabh Pant to be in T20 World Cup squad
This news is a huge boost for Team India as Rishabh Pant will now be in the running for the T20 World Cup squad. The T20 World Cup squad is set to travel to the Caribbean shores for the upcoming tournament from June this year.
Prasidh Krishna, Mohammed Shami ruled out
Not only this, the BCCI also ruled out Prasidh Krishna and Mohammed Shami of the upcoming IPL. Both the cricketers underwent surgery last month and are currently being monitored by the BCCI's medical team.
Prasidh Krishna on February 23 underwent surgery on his left proximal quadriceps tendon and will resume rehab at the National Cricket Academy soon. Mohammed Shami, the fast bowler who wowed cricket lovers during World Cup 2023, will not participate in IPL 2024 as he underwent surgery for his right heel problem on February 26.
"He is currently being monitored by the BCCI medical team and is ruled out of the upcoming TATA IPL 2024," the update read.