Rishabh Pant might not feature in next year's IPL, says Ishant Sharma

The BCCI recently provided an update on Team India stars currently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) that came as great news for many a supporter of the Men in Blue.

Not only did it mention the fact that pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah was bowling with full intensity, making his return in August’s tour of Ireland all the more likely, it also mentioned wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant had made “significant progress” and was batting and keeping the wickets again.

India pacer Ishant Sharma, however, felt Pant might not been in action for a long time and might even end up missing next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL).

“I feel we might not see Rishabh Pant in the next IPL as well because it is not a small injury. It was a very serious accident. He has just started batting and wicketkeeping and to run and turn after that, there are a lot of things, which is not easy for a wicketkeeper and a batter,” Ishant, who is also part of the Delhi Capitals squad, said on JioCinema.

Watch | Recovering Rishabh Pant posts video of walking without crutches

Ishant, though, was absolutely sure that Pant would not regain fitness in time to make the India squad for the ICC World Cup that takes place on home soil later this year.

“The good thing is that he didn’t have a second surgery. If he had undergone a second surgery, he would have been out for even longer. He has had one surgery now but I don’t think he will be fit for the World Cup for sure. Hopefully, if he gets fit for the IPL, it will be great,” added the pacer.

Pant, who succeeded former India captain MS Dhoni as the first-choice wicket-keeper across formats, has been out of action since meeting with a car accident while driving from Delhi to his hometown of Roorkee in Uttarakhand.

Pant was initially treated at a hospital in Dehradun before being airlifted to Mumbai, where he underwent surgery at the Kokilaben Dhirubai Ambani Hospital.

Read | Old mates catch up as Pant reaches GT dressing room during IPL 2023

His last appearance for the Indian team was in the two-Test series against Bangladesh, in which he scored 93 in the second Test in Mirpur.

In Pant’s absence, Australian opener David Warner led the Delhi Capitals earlier this year, with the franchise finishing a disappointing ninth in the 10-team table.