NEW DELHI: Although
Rishabh Pant
is "very confident" he will be fit to play the entire IPL, Delhi Capitals coach
Ricky Ponting
is doubtful if he will be able to captain the team or keep wicket because he is still recovering from serious injuries he incurred in a car accident.
Since his accident in December 2022, where he thought his "time in this world was over,"
Pant
has not played cricket at any level.
Speaking on Wednesday in Melbourne following his announcement as the Washington Freedom's new MLC coach,
Ponting
stated that while Pant was optimistic about his availability for the upcoming campaign, everything the coach could get from him is a bonus.
"Rishabh is very confident that he's going to be right to play," Ponting said. "In what capacity we're not quite sure yet.
"You would have seen all the social-media stuff, he's up and about and running well. But in saying that we're only six weeks away from the first game as well. So we're not sure if we'll get wicket-keeping out of him this year," the former batting legend added.
Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting. (BCCI Photo)
Pant was inarguably India's biggest game-changer in Test cricket before being thrown off track by the horrific crash.
"But I'll guarantee if I asked him now he'll say, 'I'm playing every game, I'm keeping every game and I'm batting at No.4.' That's just what he's like, but we'll keep our fingers crossed.
"He's such a dynamic player. He's obviously our captain. We missed him incredibly last year," Ponting stated.
Pant was driving from Delhi to his hometown Roorkee to meet his family when his car crashed into the median divider on the road in December, 2022. Two persons were able to pull Pant out of his SUV before it went up in flames.
Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting. (BCCI Photo)
"If you understand the journey he's been on the last 12-13 months, it was a horrific incident. One that I know he feels very lucky to have even survived, let alone have the chance to play cricket again.
"We'll just keep our fingers crossed and hope that he can be out there and play. Even if it's not all the games, if we can manage him through 10 of the 14 games or whatever that might be then whatever games you can get out of him will be a bonus," Ponting said.
Rishabh Pant and Ricky Ponting. (BCCI Photo)
Pant underwent initial treatment at a hospital in Dehradun and was later airlifted to Mumbai where he was under the care of a specialist consultant brought in by the BCCI.
After undergoing surgeries to reconstruct all three ligaments in his right knee, Pant did his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
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