Rishabh Pant, who has had major surgery on his knee after almost all his ligaments were damaged following a car crash on December 30 last year on the Delhi-Dehradun highway while driving back home, has slowly but surely started his recovery journey. The India wicketkeeper-batter is still admitted to a private hospital in Mumbai but he is expected to be discharged in the first week of February. According to reports, it may take him two months to start light training and about four to six months from starting strength training and full-fledged cricket practice. This means Pant will definitely miss the Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia and in all probability the IPL.
He was supposed to lead the Delhi Capitals in IPL 2023. Although there has been no official communication from the franchise, it is certain that only a miracle can see Pant leading DC this year. If that's indeed the case then who will lead DC? Ricky Ponting, legendary Australia cricketer and the current head coach of the Delhi-based franchise, said it's not easy to find a replacement for someone like Pant.
“You can’t replace those guys, simple as that,” Ponting told ICC. “They don’t grow on trees, players like that. We’ve got to look at – and we already are – a replacement to come into the squad, a wicketkeeper-batsman.”
Ponting, who shares a great camaraderie with the attacking left-handed batter, said India will be badly missing the services of Pant in the four-match series starting February 9.
“I think he’s ranked in the top six-seven Test batsmen in the world, isn’t he?” Ponting asked (Pant is currently seventh in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, India’s highest-ranked batter)," Ponting added.
{{/usCountry}}“I think he’s ranked in the top six-seven Test batsmen in the world, isn’t he?” Ponting asked (Pant is currently seventh in the MRF Tyres ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings, India’s highest-ranked batter)," Ponting added.
{{/usCountry}}Pant played a huge role when an injury-laden Indian side beat Australia in Australia the last time around.
“When he first started, we probably all thought he was going to be a better T20 and one-day batsman than a Test batsman, but it’s actually worked the other way. His Test cricket has been remarkable. Even the series coming up against Australia, the four-Test series there, we know how he played against Australia in Australia last time. He’d have been looking forward to that series, and the rest of the world would have been looking forward to watching him play.”