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With the playoff race intensifying, resurgent Delhi Capitals take on Sunrisers Hyderabad in their upcoming IPL 2024 fixture, on Saturday. In a two-match winning streak, DC have revived their season, and are currently sixth in the standings. Much of the credit goes to captain Rishabh Pant, who is also on a mission of his own.
Having missed more than a year of cricket due to a freak car accident, the wicketkeeper-batter is using IPL 2024 as his comeback platform, for a place in India’s T20 World Cup squad. With Delhi’s top-order batters failing to fire this season, Pant has led his side with quick-fire decisive cameos. He is their highest run-scorer this season with 210 runs in seven matches, with a high-score of 55.
Before his accident, he was India’s first-choice wicketkeeper. But since the accident, he missed the ODI World Cup last year and KL Rahul donned the gloves for India. The LSG skipper was in good form with both bat and ball, and is in contention to reclaim that spot for the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Pant also faces competition from RR captain Sanju Samson, who is in fine batting form. In seven IPL 2024 games, he has smacked 276 runs. Meanwhile, Rahul has registered 286 runs in seven fixtures.
Speaking on Cricbuzz, Australia legend Adam Gilchrist gave his take on India’s wicketkeeping selection dilemma for the T20 World Cup. In what will be bad news for Rahul, Gilchrist picked Pant as his first-choice wicketkeeper for India, and to make matters worse, he named Sanju Samson as back-up.
“He has been consistently getting atleast starts, and a couple of nice contributions. He affected this brilliant backhand run out against RR, which was just amazing, Dhoni-like. His last match against GT, he was Man of the Match, primarily for his wicketkeeping and his captaincy is there, ended up 19* not out. So a wonderful week for him. As I say there is a lot of focus on him, lot of expectations and he has delivered,” he said.
“Without doubt. If the BCCI doesn’t give you one, I will pay for his ticket.
“I will have him in my team, definitely. I think his wicketkeeping is showing physically that he is not held back. His batting is only going to get better and better as he spends more time. I think just that level of maturity that comes with leadership, I have him in there and I think Sanju Samson is probably my back-up at the moment. What I will say is India are so well-blessed with so many talented wicketkeeper-batters,” he further added.
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