BCCI secretary Jay Shah has announced that Rishabh Pant will participate in the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 following the IPL 2024. However Shah made it very clear that Pant will play only if he is able to keep wickets. Pant has been sidelined since a severe car accident in December 2022.
Jay Shah confirms Rishabh Pant's availability for T20 World Cup
"He is batting well, he is keeping well. We will declare him fit very soon. 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 2024," Jay Shah told PTI.
Notably, the T20 World Cup 2024 is scheduled to start from June 2 across different venues in West Indies and USA.
Pant has not played since sustaining multiple injuries following a devastating car accident in December 2022. The accident resulted in a serious right knee injury necessitating ligament surgery, in addition to a broken wrist and ankle.
Meanwhile, Delhi Capitals' (DC) head coach Ricky Ponting has also confirmed Pant's participation in the upcoming season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 which is set to start from March 2. Last month, Parth Jindal, co-owner of the DC, informed ESPNcricinfo that Pant has begun practicing his wicketkeeping skills. Jindal also mentioned that Pant is expected to fully recover in time for the IPL and anticipated him to take on the captaincy from the first match. DC will open their IPL 2024's campaign against Punjab Kings on March 23.
“It’s a big decision we’ll have to make because if he is fit, you’d think he’d step straight back into that captaincy role. If he’s not entirely fit and we have to use him in a slightly different role, then we’ve got some decisions to make there,” Ponting said.
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The 26-year-old star wicketkeeper-batter, is expected to play a crucial role for the Indian team in the T20 World Cup. Shah has stated that the decision regarding Pant's comeback will be made by the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore, where VVS Laxman, the NCA's head, and Nitin Patel, head of sports and science at the NCA, are overseeing his fitness evaluation.
Meanwhile, the grand finale of T20 World Cup 2024 will take place on June 29 in Barbados. The highly anticipated match between arch-rivals India and Pakistan will unfold in New York City on June 9, adding another chapter to their storied history.
INDIA’S GROUP-STAGE SCHEDULE
| Opponents | Dates | Venues |
| India vs Ireland | June 5 | New York |
| India vs Pakistan | June 9 | New York |
| India vs USA | June 12 | New York |
| India vs Canada | June 15 | Lauderhill |
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