Former India opener Aakash Chopra said that if reports of Rishabh Pant returning for IPL 2024 are true, then it would be hugely beneficial for Delhi Capitals (DC). Pant has been out of cricket since December 2022, when he survived a near-fatal car accident on his way home in Dehradun from Delhi.
He suffered serious injuries in the crash and underwent a couple of surgeries. The major surgery done was on his right knee and since then Pant has been rehabbing and recovering at the NCA.
The most recent update shared by Rishabh Pant showed that he has begun high-intensity training for keeping wickets and batting as well.
Pant had also missed IPL 2023 where David Warner led the Delhi Capitals (DC) in his stead. However, DC’s was a season to forget as they just about managed to avoid the wooden spoon to finish ninth on the IPL points table, a rung ahead of fellow strugglers Sunrisers Hyderabad.
Former India opener Aakash Chopra pointed out how DC looked out of sorts while putting out a big question mark on some of their on-field decisions.
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“Delhi wasn’t up to the mark last year. There was a time when they were languishing at the bottom of the pile and it seemed they were intent on staying there. Whatever they tried wasn’t working, be it lack of intent in the Powerplay. David Warner was the captain and he played a lot of deliveries without hitting a single six.
Akshar Patel was batting well but not fully utilized, sometimes he wasn’t even completing his four overs. There was a match when Mukesh Kumar was introduced in the 19th over,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube channel.
Chopra, on the other hand, believes that if Pant can recuperate in time for the next IPL season, many of DC's problems will be handled immediately.
“There were plenty of things that were wrong last time and now they are trying to correct them. They are hoping that Rishabh Pant becomes available because if he is, a lot of things will sort out automatically. What if he doesn’t make it? There’s no guarantee considering the kind of injury he’s recovering from. IPL isn’t too far. It will start in the 2nd-3rd week of March. They cannot take chances,” he said.
