The Australian legend was impressed at the impact Rishabh Pant had during the IPL and is expecting him to perform well at the T20 World Cup. However, Delhi Capitals coach Ricky Ponting has referred to Rishabh Pant’s roaring comeback to professional cricket after a massive car accident as “nothing short of spectacular”.
The swashbuckling left-handed batter made 446 runs which came at an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40 while claiming a joint-high 16 wickets with the gloves during the most recent India Premier League as well.
“It’s been nothing short of spectacular, to be honest,” Ricky Ponting told The ICC Review. “I spent a few months with him in the middle of the IPL last year, which was only sort of three or four months after his accident. And I had grave fears then that he would never play the game again. What he’d been through psychologically, but what he’d been through physically. At that stage, he still couldn’t walk.”
“He was on crutches. And I remember saying to him, what do you think about next season? He just looked at me and said, don’t worry, I’ll be right. And he’s looked after himself incredibly well. The Delhi Capitals franchise has done a great job looking after him. Patrick Farhart has been his physio. He’s done a great job with him as well,” he again shared.
However, in the conversation for the India coaching job, Ricky Ponting shared speculation that India are all set to play in the T20 World Cup 2024. While Pant’s efforts with the bat were amazing, his return to the Indian squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 was important.
“No one had real concerns about his batting, because of how good he is and how dynamic he is with the bat,” Ponting said. “But with his wicket-keeping, and having to squat every ball for 14 games in a row, there were certainly some concerns there. I was asked when I was over there what I thought about him.”
“He’d been picked in the Indian squad, and I basically said he’d be one of the first players picked, and sure enough he was. So, great to see him back out there playing again. I’ve enjoyed every moment of working with him. Obviously, he’s been the captain of the Delhi Capitals, and I’ve been the coach there. But it’s been a remarkable comeback, and hopefully he has a huge impact on this World Cup,” Ricky Ponting concluded.
