The BCCI announced via a media release on Tuesday (March 12) that Rishabh Pant has been approved by the team’s medical staff to participate in the 2024 Indian Premier League. The National Cricket Academy recommended a rigorous 14-month rehabilitation regimen for the 26-year-old keeper-bat after he sustained several injuries in a near-fatal vehicle accident in December 2022.
Although Pant was “declared fit as a wicket-keeper batter for the upcoming TATA IPL 2024,” according to the board’s release, it is unclear if he will initially don the ‘keeping gloves for the Delhi Capitals, who he is also expected to lead, succeeding David Warner, who filled in for Pant’s absence the previous season.
For the first time since the two-Test series against and in Bangladesh at the end of 2022, just before his accident while travelling to his hometown of Roorkee in the early hours of December 30, Pant will play in the IPL in 2024.
Fast bowler Prasidh Krishna was also declared ineligible for the competition due to a recent surgery on his left proximal quadriceps tendon, according to the BCCI announcement.
The 28-year-old will miss the whole 2018–19 season for the Rajasthan Royals due to a spinal stress fracture, which sidelined him last season. After overcoming that serious injury, Krishna even made his Test debut during the South Africa trip towards the end of the previous year, but he was unable to play in the Ranji Trophy early on.
Prior to the current season, the Royals acquired Avesh Khan from the Lucknow Super Giants in exchange for hitter Devdutt Padikkal, strengthening their roster of Indian fast bowlers.
Mohammed Shami, the speed sensation for the Gujarat Titans, will miss the whole event due to surgery on his right heel, as was previously reported. The medical staff of the board will keep an eye on him because India is scheduled to play in the T20 World Cup immediately following the IPL.
