Former India player turned veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has said IPL 2024 will present the Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant a great opportunity to prove his fitness and form before the all-important T20 World Cup. However, Pant missed the last edition of the prestigious league due to his injuries suffered in a horrific car accident. This time he is expected to play in the middle order for the Capitals but it’s not yet clear whether he will be keeping wickets as well.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said: “Opportunities are absolutely plenty. Our emotional quotient has gone very high for Rishabh Pant. We are all waiting for Rishabh Pant to come, hit and shine. Everyone has even started talking about the T20 World Cup, that he will reach there if he scores runs. At the moment, we are riding high on emotion because we all love him so much. However, he will go to the ground after a long time. 14 months is a long time. So it’s a big opportunity to see how he will play, that will we see the old Rishabh Pant.”
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra also expects Rishabh Pant to return to his best form in IPL 2024. However, he acknowledged that the left-handed batter might start slowly and gather momentum later on. The veteran also named Khaleel Ahmed as another Delhi Capitals player with a great opportunity in IPL 2024.
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“I feel it’s a great opportunity for Khaleel Ahmed as well because Khaleel is there or thereabouts. I like his bowling a lot. If he backs up his previous season with another good one, he might come in the running for the Indian team. Axar Patel is doing extremely well. He gives ‘Player of the Match’ performances (for India) and is then dropped for the next match. Only one between him and Jaddu might go to the West Indies. So this is his opportunity. Please make him bat slightly up the order if he is batting well,” Chopra further added.
Meanwhile, Aakash Chopra has picked the Delhi Capitals’ (DC) probable playing XI for IPL 2024 as well. He isn’t too hopeful about their chances of qualifying for the playoffs as well. However, the Capitals have qualified for the knockout stages in six of the 16 previous editions of the tournament where they finished as runners-up in IPL 2020.
“You will play Prithvi Shaw for sure and will get David Warner to open alongside him. Mitchell Marsh at No. 3, what is the point in getting him to bat any lower? So Rishabh Pant at No. 4. Then you will play Tristan Stubbs. You have Shai Hope as well but he is a top-four batter and I am unable to create a place for him in the top four. Then you might say that you will play either Lalit Yadav or Kumar Kushagra, who was kept as a backup along with Abhishek Porel if Rishabh Pant doesn’t keep. Then Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Anrich Nortje and Khaleel Ahmed,” Aakash Chopra stated.
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“What will be this team’s strategy? Absolutely go hammer and tongs when they come to bat. Prithvi Shaw, David Warner, Mitchell Marsh, Rishabh Pant and Tristan Stubbs should hit fours and sixes. They should keep hitting. If you have so much firepower, use it properly. When I look at their bowling, they have wicket-taking spinners and fast bowlers. Khaleel Ahmed is a wicket-taker with the new ball, Mukesh Kumar picks up wickets with the old ball, Kuldeep Yadav is a wicket-taker, and Axar Patel is a very decent wicket-taker in T20s. Whichever fifth bowler plays, it should not be an issue,” Aakash Chopra concluded.
