• Home
  • Who Said What
  • It Wont Be Easy Ex Rcb Player Fires Warning To Rishabh Pant Ahead Of The Ipl 2024 Season

‘It Won't Be Easy…,’ Ex-RCB Player Fires Warning To Rishabh Pant Ahead Of The IPL 2024 Season

image-lsy9affnRishabh Pant will make return in IPL 2024 (X.com)

Former Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel reckons that it won't be easy for Rishabh Pant to find his mojo straight away as he'll be making a comeback after a long injury layoff.

Pant has been on the road to recovery since surviving a life-threatening road accident in December 2022. The 26-year-old has not participated in any competitive cricket since the incident, undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru as he takes gradual steps towards full recovery.

Expected to make his comeback in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, Pant's role may undergo some adjustments, as indicated by head coach Ricky Ponting, who was confident about Pant's availability for the entirety of the season.

In conversation with JioCinema, Parthiv referred to Pant as a game-changer, pinning hope on him to hit big sixes in the upcoming season.

“Pant is very positive. He is a blockbuster player. Whenever he comes, he does something and makes his team win. You want to see him play all the time. He's a great package. On top of everything, he's recovered really well after that accident. Hopefully we'll see him hitting sixes again,” said Parthiv Patel.

However, Parthiv underlined the challenges Pant may encounter in his IPL comeback, emphasizing the mental toughness required after a prolonged absence due to injury.

"But it won't be easy. We all know that making a comeback after being on the sidelines for so long is not easy. How mentally tough and prepared he is will matter a lot,” Patel added.

Reports suggest that Pant will return to the IPL as a specialist batter, possibly taking on the role of captaincy, while another wicket-keeper may be included in the Playing XI. Avishek Porel is speculated to fulfill the wicketkeeping duties, with Shai Hope or Tristan Stubbs serving as alternatives depending on the overseas player combination.

On Thursday, the BCCI released a partial schedule for the 2024 IPL season, covering the first 17 days from March 22 to April 7, featuring 21 matches across 10 cities, including four double-headers. 

Pant is expected to make his IPL 2024 return on March 23 when the Delhi Capitals face Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali, marking the first afternoon game of the season.

Pant's comeback is good news for the Capitals as the team missed his presence last season, when they failed to qualify for the playoffs under the leadership of David Warner. With an impressive IPL record of 2,838 runs in 98 matches, Pant's return is eagerly awaited.