Delhi Capitals (DC) skipper Rishabh Pant took centre stage during the Indian Premier League (IPL) mini-auction in Dubai on December 19 as he joined the franchise's top brass, including head coach Ricky Ponting and Director of Cricket Sourav Ganguly. This marked Pant's notable public appearance as he is recovering from injuries sustained in a life-threatening road accident in December 2022.
Later in the day, Pant showcased his athletic side on a tennis court with his idol, MS Dhoni. A viral video captured the duo engaged in a tennis match at an indoor court, with Pant earning cheers for a powerful overhead smash that surprised Dhoni.
Unlike Pant, Dhoni did not join his team, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), at the auction table on December 19. The former India captain received a warm welcome with loud cheers at the airport when he was spotted arriving in the city on the day of the auction.
Recently, Dhoni hosted dinner at his residence for cricketers like Suresh Raina and RP Singh. Earlier in the year, the 42-year-old celebrated Diwali with Pant, as seen in colourful photos shared by Sakshi Singh Dhoni, where both Dhoni and Pant were dressed in traditional attire.
The 26-year-old is expected to make his comeback to competitive cricket in IPL 2024 after recovering from the car crash. The wicketkeeper-batter, who missed IPL 2023 and the ODI World Cup, supervised the DC camp in Kolkata earlier this year.
Earlier, Ganguly informed India Today that Pant is set to make a comeback to action in 2024.
"Rishabh Pant is in good shape. He will play from next season”, Ganguly added.
Pant has been posting videos of his intense rehab sessions as the standout wicketkeeper aims to make an early return to action. It is anticipated that Pant will participate in a few competitive matches before rejoining the IPL, with careful workload management.
(Powered by AI, Inputs by India Today)
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