Rishabh Pant’s simplistic approach to batting makes him the X-factor in the super 8s and is the most successful among his teammates. File
| Photo Credit: AP

Even at nets, there is a marked difference between how Rishabh Pant goes about his business when compared to other batters in the Indian team.

The slow, low pitches in New York – both at the match and practice venues – makes timing difficult. Virat Kohli does all the right things with technique, backlift, and feet movement, but in following traditional methods, is unable to adapt to this new challenge.

Pant, often batting next to Kohli in the adjacent net, is doing the opposite. There are only reactions to each delivery; there are no predetermined classical triggers. Pant uses the wrist to send a length ball to fine-leg. A short ball outside off is crunched flat-batted through cover. All by standing still with minimal feet movement. When it is time to get adventurous, there is full commitment. A full walk outside off, crouched low, body twisted to paddle a leg-stump inswinger over the wicketkeeper. Watch the ball, react, repeat.

It is this simplistic approach that has made Pant the top run-scorer among Indian batters in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup group stage which concluded in the USA. If Pant had gotten the chance to go up against Canada here on Saturday, his preparedness for the Super 8 stage would have been complete.

Paying rewards

The team management’s decision to move him up to three and maximise his attacking abilities has paid rich rewards. The southpaw was at his best in the game against Pakistan, making a match-winning 31-ball 42. After a shaky start, Pant came into his own in the 10th over bowled by pacer Haris Rauf. The crowd went berserk went Pant tumbled over as he lapped Rauf to the fine-leg fence. The next ball needed only a slight turn of the wrists get another four to fine-leg.

Pant’s comeback to international cricket from a serious road accident is a remarkable feat. His batting abilities have remained at a high level, and his wicketkeeping has improved. The smooth sideways movement and athletic takes with the gloves is reward for the strenuous rehabilitation he had to undertake.

Former India coach Ravi Shastri summed up Pant’s inspirational return in a moving dressing room speech. “I had tears in my eyes when I read about his accident, and when I saw him in hospital, it was even worse. Batting – everybody knew what you were capable of. But your wicketkeeping – the range of movement that you have got so quickly after the operation is a tribute to your hard work. It’s an inspiration to millions that from adversity, from jaws of death, you can snatch a win,” Shastri said in the bcci.tv video.

India now needs Pant to carry this form into the Super 8 stage in the West Indies. The 26-year-old is the ‘X’ factor who carries the team’s hopes in this tournament.

Wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant and teammates during a training session ahead of their ICC T20 World Cup opening match against Ireland on June 5, in New York.
| Photo Credit: ANI

It would be 527 days since his life-threatening accident when Rishabh Pant dons the India jersey on June 5 at the Nassau County ground for the opening T20 World Cup match against Ireland and he can’t wait for it.

On March 23 this year, Pant wore the blue of Delhi Capitals while making an emotional comeback after the horrific car crash in 2022 but he is more eager to wear a different shade of blue — the ‘India Blue’ to be specific.

ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: Full schedule, venues and complete squads 

“Getting back on the field with an Indian jersey on is a different feeling altogether. this is something I missed a lot…Hopefully I (can) make it count and make it better from here,” Pant told BCCI.TV on the sidelines of India’s first net session ahead of the warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1.

Pant, who underwent an intense 15-month rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, had teammate Suryakumar Yadav for company during this interaction and recalled the time how his presence helped him cope with the loneliness of his injury management programme in the NCA.

“Seeing the team here and meeting them again, spending time, having fun with them, having a conversation with them, I really enjoyed,” a beaming Pant said.

Legends of T20 World Cup: Leading run-getters and batters with best strike rates 

Having scored 446 runs in 13 IPL games, Pant is slowly getting back into the groove. The leaner and fitter Pant looked in nice touch at the India nets at the Cantiague Park on the outskirts of New York City.

Pant also spoke about the prospects of cricket gaining popularity in the USA going forward. He felt the T20 World Cup could be the start of an eventful chapter.

“We are used to playing in certain countries but this is a different prospect. It has opened up a different channel for sport because I feel cricket is growing around the world and…getting the exposure here would be nice for cricket as well as USA cricket,” he said.

He spoke about the drop-in pitches that will be used during the tournament and also the bright sunshine that he and the rest of the team is getting used to.

“New pitches are there. I’m just getting used to the conditions. The sun is a little bit brighter here, so just getting used to the conditions over here. Let’s see how it goes,” Pant concluded.

Lucknow Super Giants’ Marcus Stoinis gets stump out by Delhi Capitals’ captain Rishabh Pant in the IPL 2024 at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on May 14, 2024.
| Photo Credit: ANI

Rishabh Pant’s middle-order experience can help him edge out Sanju Samson and become India’s preferred wicketkeeper-batsman at the Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies and United States next month, former India batsman Gautam Gambhir said.

Pant was named in India’s 15-member squad for the June 1-29 tournament on the back of impressive performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) after his comeback following a near-fatal car accident in December 2022.

However, India’s selectors kept their options open with Samson also making the squad.

“I think only one of them will be in the starting side and whoever it is, India must back him… both have equal quality,” Gambhir, who played an important role in India’s World Cup triumph in 2007, told Sportskeeda.

“It’s touch and go but I’d start with Rishabh because he’s a left-hander and a natural middle-order batsman. Sanju in the IPL has batted at number three, but India’s top-order is fixed.

“Rishabh has batted at number five, six and seven. India need a wicketkeeper in that position as compared to a top-three batsman. A left-hander in the middle-order gives you that left hand-right hand combination.”

Delhi Capitals skipper Pant scored 446 runs from 13 matches in the IPL this season, with a 23-ball 33 in his team’s 19-run victory over Lucknow Super Giants on Tuesday.

His Rajasthan Royals counterpart Samson has also done well with the bat with 486 runs from 12 games and can still add to his tally.

“If India see that Sanju can score more runs at number six or seven, they could go with him as well,” Gambhir said.

Delhi’s win means Rajasthan are assured of a top-four spot along with leaders Kolkata Knight Riders, leaving two playoff places up for grabs.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru players are seen during an Indian Premier league 2024 match. Royal Challengers Bengaluru rose above their frailties to notch four wins on the trot to stay alive in the race to play-offs
| Photo Credit: ANI

Rishabh Pant’s absence will loom large when Delhi Capitals and Royal Challengers Bengaluru spar in a must-win clash at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on May 12.

The DC skipper has been suspended for one match after his team maintained a slow over-rate against Rajasthan Royals on May 7. It was Pant’s third such penalty, triggering the ban.

With five wins out of the last seven games, fifth-placed DC, riding on the batting might of Pant, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel et al., was looking good for the playoffs. But the side will now have to do without its maverick batter and top-scorer Pant (413 runs at SR 156.43).

Axar Patel will lead in his absence and it helps that the left-arm spinner has been one of DC’s standout players. In 12 games this season, the 30-year-old has bowled 40 miserly overs at an economy rate 7.32, an astonishing number in an IPL where totals in excess of 240 have become par for the course.

But in a rejuvenated RCB, DC will find a tough opponent. Faf du Plessis’ men lost seven of their first eight matches, but have strung together four successive wins to still have a shot at the playoffs.

A settled batting line-up led by the in-form Virat Kohli has been instrumental in this turnaround, and so has the blossoming of the spin-combination involving leggie Karn Sharma and left-armer Swapnil Singh.

However, the weather could prove a spoiler. After a scorching summer, the parched souls in the Garden City have joyously welcomed evening showers this past week. But for once, they will want the rain to stay away.

Teams (from):

Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Faf du Plessis (c), Glenn Maxwell, Virat Kohli, Rajat Patidar, Anuj Rawat, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suyash Prabhudessai, Will Jacks, Mahipal Lomror, Karn Sharma, Manoj Bhandage, Mayank Dagar, Vijaykumar Vyshak, Akash Deep, Mohammed Siraj, Reece Topley, Himanshu Sharma, Rajan Kumar, Cameron Green, Alzarri Joseph, Yash Dayal, Tom Curran, Lockie Ferguson, Swapnil Singh, Saurav Chauhan.

Delhi Capitals: Prithvi Shaw, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Shai Hope, Rishabh Pant (wk/c, suspended and unavailable), Sumit Kumar, Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Mukesh Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Khaleel Ahmed, Kumar Kushagra, Praveen Dubey, Lalit Yadav, Lizaad Williams, David Warner, Jhye Richardson, Anrich Nortje, Yash Dhull, Mitchell Marsh, Ricky Bhui, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vicky Ostwal, Swastik Chikara.

Match starts at 7.30 PM.

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant with his teammates during an IPL 2024 match.
| Photo Credit: R.V. Moorthy

Delhi Capitals’ (DC) stop-start IPL 2024 campaign enters its final lap as it takes on formidable Rajasthan Royals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on May 7.

DC began the season on the wrong foot, losing four of its first five games. But the Rishabh Pant-led side soon clicked into gear, winning four of its next five matches to put itself in contention for a playoff spot.

But a heavy defeat against Kolkata Knights Riders in its last match means DC’s top-four chances hinge on other results going its way.

For the Royals, the plot has been far more buoyant. Sanju Samson’s men have been on a roll, winning eight of their ten matches.

Batting fire-power

Royals’ success this season has been built around their well-rounded batting unit. They currently boast four players — Riyan Parag, Samson, Yashavi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler — with a 300+ run tally this season, more than any other team this season.

Royals’ batting brawn will fit well with the conditions here, which has seen runs flow faster than any other venue in this IPL (11.85 runs per over).

DC too has some firepower in its rank, with the prominent ammunition being its young Aussie opener Jake Fraser-McGurk, who has scored 259 runs at a scarcely believable strike rate of 233.33 in his debut IPL season.

When these two sides met earlier in the season, in Jaipur, Rajasthan Royals squeezed out a 12-run win. A similar result on Tuesday could all but ring the death knell for DC’s IPL campaign.

Teams:

Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (c), David Warner, Abishek Porel, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dhull, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kushagra, Swastik Chikara, Ishant Sharma, Jhye Richardson, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vicky Ostwal, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed, Sumit Kumar, Axar Patel, Mitchell Marsh, Lalit Yadav, Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Rajasthan Royals: Sanju Samson (c), Jos Buttler, Shimron Hetmyer, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Riyan Parag, Donovan Ferreira, Kunal Rathore, Ravichandran Ashwin, Kuldeep Sen, Navdeep Saini, Keshav Maharaj, Sandeep Sharma, Trent Boult, Yuzvendra Chahal, Avesh Khan, Rovman Powell, Shubham Dubey, Tom Kohler-Cadmore, Abid Mushtaq, Nandre Burger.

Match starts at 7.30 PM.

File picture of India captain Rohit Sharma and Hardik Pandya
| Photo Credit: AP

Yuzvendra Chahal and Shivam Dube were named in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The team, announced by BCCI on Tuesday, will be led by Rohit Sharma. Hardik Pandya serves as the vice-captain.

Leggie Chahal, ignored for India’s recent T20 assignments, was picked on the strength of good returns for Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing IPL season. Chahal is the only right-arm spinner in the squad, with southpaws Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav forming the rest of the spin attack.

Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh and Mohammed Siraj are the specialist pacers.

Also read | ICC Twenty20 World Cup 2024: full schedule, dates and venues

Lucknow Super Giants skipper K.L. Rahul and Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Dinesh Karthik were among the notable omissions. Karthik had harboured hopes of making the bus, after finding good form as a finisher for RCB.

Shubman Gill lost out on the opener slot to Yashasvi Jaiswal. Gill and lower-order batter Rinku Singh were named in the reserves. Rinku gave way to Dube, who has shown a penchant for big hits.

The tournament marks the international comeback of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. Pant, who last donned the India cap in December 2022, was forced into a long layoff after suffering a car accident. The 26-year-old has proved his worth in IPL 2024, making vital contributions with the bat for Delhi Capitals (DC) and showing athleticism with the ’keeping gloves.

RR captain and fan-favourite Sanju Samson is the second gloveman. Samson has shone bright for RR, batting at a strike-rate of 161.08 with an average of 77.

Keeping faith in Kohli

The selectors have kept their faith in Virat Kohli, who in recent times has been criticised for not keeping a high strike-rate. Kohli had dismissed these concerns after an unbeaten 44-ball 70 for RCB against Gujarat Titans on Sunday, stating that “it is just about winning the game for the team.”

Trust has also been placed on Hardik, who has struggled in his maiden season as captain of Mumbai Indians. Hardik has failed with both bat and ball, and has faced the ire of MI fans who are unhappy with him replacing Rohit as the MI skipper.

India commences its World Cup campaign against Ireland on June 5 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium (New York), followed by the highly-anticipated clash against Pakistan on June 9 at the same venue.

India then takes on USA and Canada on June 12 and 15 respectively.

Full squad

Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohd. Siraj.

Reserves: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.

IPL’s costliest buy Starc has been their biggest letdown and KKR would hope that the Aussie hits his stride soon after overcoming the thumb injury. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

With 250 totals becoming the norm and power-hitters pushing the limit, Kolkata Knight Riders and Delhi Capitals will hope to out-bat each other in the Indian Premier League at the Eden Gardens here on Monday.

In four of the five matches at the Eden, both teams have crossed 200 and the last encounter — which witnessed Punjab Kings gather 2.33 runs per ball to post a record chase of 262 for two with eight balls to spare — underlined that no total is safe in the new-age slam-bang version of the game.

KKR, which has thrived primarily due to the success of its batters, will continue to depend on its crack opening pair of Phil Salt and Sunil Narine to make an early assault. Others, including captain Shreyas Iyer, Venkatesh Iyer, Andre Russell, Rinku Singh and Ramadeep Singh, will be keen to carry it forward.

KKR’s bowling needs attention. Narine has been impressive but he requires support from other bowlers, such as Harshit Rana, Andre Russell and Varun Chakravarthy. If Mitchell Starc, who has recovered well, returns, it will be beneficial.

Besides the destructive Jake Fraser-McGurk and skipper Rishabh Pant, DC has other capable hands, including Shai Hope, Tristan Stubbs and Axar Patel, who can go on run hunting.

Pacers Mukesh Kumar and Rasikh Dar Salam and spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Axar can create problems for any opposition.

After consecutive wins over Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians, DC, with ‘Prince of Kolkata’ Sourav Ganguly in its camp, will be upbeat about avenging its loss.

Teams:

Kolkata Knight Riders: Shreyas Iyer (c), KS Bharat, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Rinku Singh, Angkrish Raghuvanshi, Sherfane Rutherford, Manish Pandey, Andre Russell, Nitish Rana, Venkatesh Iyer, Anukul Roy, Ramandeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Sunil Narine, Vaibhav Arora, Chetan Sakariya, Harshit Rana, Suyash Sharma, Mitchell Starc, Dushmantha Chameera, Sakib Hussain and Mujeeb Ur Rahman.

Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (c), David Warner, Abishek Porel, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dhull, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kushagra, Swastik Chikara, Ishant Sharma, Jhye Richardson, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vicky Ostwal, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed, Sumit Kumar, Axar Patel, Gulbadin Naib, Lalit Yadav, Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Match starts: 7.30 p.m.

Rishabh Pant’s brilliant batting form and inspiring leadership resurrected Delhi Capitals will look to continue their upward match in the points table. They will face the inconsistent Mumbai Indians in New Delhi on April 27, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

They both hail from the same state. They are friends since their age-group days. Donning different shades of blue, they have stood with their craft with the ball in an IPL dominated by towering totals.

No wonder then that the economy rate of all-rounder Axar Patel and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah could well be decisive in the key clash between host Delhi Capitals and Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After the 41st league match, Bumrah (6.37 runs per over in 32 overs) tops the list of best economy rate for bowlers with at least 10 overs this season, Axar is placed third in the list (7.06 runs in 31 overs).

Against a batting line-up full of power-hitters, the Gujarat duo will be looking forward to repeat the heroics performed at the Wankhede Stadium done earlier in the month.

Considering that both the teams are still languishing in the bottom half of the points table, a loss on Saturday could well push them into a must-win position for the remaining phase.

While the Capitals — with veterans David Warner and Ishant Sharma being unavailable due to fitness issues — will hope to carry on the momentum from Wednesday night’s win, Hardik and Co. will be keen on switching gears with time running out.

Barring Bumrah, the remaining bowling unit has been a huge concern. With an on-song Rishabh and Axar on fire with the willow along with Jake Fraser-McGurk’s range-hitting, captain Hardik will be banking on his bowling group to deliver against the odds.

The teams

Delhi Capitals: Rishabh Pant (c), David Warner, Abishek Porel, Ricky Bhui, Yash Dhull, Shai Hope, Prithvi Shaw, Tristan Stubbs, Kumar Kushagra, Swastik Chikara, Ishant Sharma, Jhye Richardson, Rasikh Dar Salam, Vicky Ostwal, Anrich Nortje, Mukesh Kumar, Kuldeep Yadav, Praveen Dubey, Khaleel Ahmed, Sumit Kumar, Axar Patel, Gulbadin Naib, Lalit Yadav, Jake Fraser-McGurk.

Mumbai Indians: Hardik Pandya (c), Rohit Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav, Dewald Brevis, Jasprit Bumrah, Piyush Chawla, Gerald Coetzee, Tim David, Shreyas Gopal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Anshul Kamboj, Kumar Kartikeya, Akash Madhwal, Kwena Maphaka, Mohammad Nabi, Shams Mulani, Naman Dhir, Shivalik Sharma, Romario Shepherd, Arjun Tendulkar, Nuwan Thushara, Tilak Varma, Harvik Desai, Nehal Wadhera, Luke Wood.

Match starts 3.30pm IST.

Sunrisers Hyderabad opener Travis Head in action during the Indian Premier League match against Delhi Capitals in New Delhi on April 20, 2024.
| Photo Credit: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Jake Fraser-McGurk, the young Australian sensation, played a blinder to give Delhi Capitals a slim chance to pull off a miraculous chase. But the right-handed power-hitter proved to be an exception on a night dominated by left-handers.

Sunrisers’ left-handed quartet — openers Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma, all-rounder Shahbaz Ahmed and pacer T. Natarajan — ensured the Sunrisers climbed to the second spot with a facile 67-run win at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Saturday.

Head’s and Abhishek’s sensational strokeplay fetched a whopping 125 — the highest in the first six overs in T20 history. It was Sunrisers’ third 250-plus total of the season and also the fourth highest tally in the IPL. Despite spin twins Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel pulling things back immediately after the PowerPlay, the damage had been done.

Head blew hot from the word go. He missed a heave off Khaleel Ahmed’s first delivery but once he connected the next which sailed into the stands, the Capitals players were left fetching the ball from outside the boundary ropes. While Head stormed to his fifty in the third over, off just 14 balls, Abhishek made the most of the strike that came his way by going after Kuldeep, who was introduced in the fifth over. The PowerPlay overs saw Head and Abhishek hit 13 fours and 11 sixes and Capitals could bowl just five dot balls. Despite Kuldeep and Axar striking four times in 18 balls, Shahbaz and Nitish Kumar Reddy ensured the Sunrisers ended the innings on a high to post a daunting 266 for seven. Fraser-McGurk extended his previous night’s net session into a range-hitting exhibition to leave the fans spellbound. At the halfway stage, Capitals rattled up 138 and also had another left-hander — Rishabh Pant — at the crease. But the Capitals skipper was scratchy throughout, pegging the team back. Natarajan mopped up the tail to finish with figures of 4-1-19-4, his best in the IPL on a dazzling night for Sunrisers.

Teams

Delhi Capitals: David Warner, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Abishek Porel, Rishabh Pant (w/c), Tristan Stubbs, Axar Patel, Lalit Yadav, Kuldeep Yadav, Anrich Nortje, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar.

Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Aiden Markram, Heinrich Klaasen (w), Abdul Samad, Nitish Reddy, Shahbaz Ahmed, Pat Cummins (c), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mayank Markande, T Natarajan.

Delhi Capitals batter Rishabh Pant plays a shot during the IPL 2024 match against Gujarat Titans at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, on April 17, 2024.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Former England captain Kevin Pietersen feels Rishabh Pant and the Indian team management should feel very encouraged by the comeback-man’s mobility in the IPL game against Gujarat Titans here as the T20 World Cup draws closer.

Pant grabbed two catches, effected a stumping and then played a 16-run cameo in Delhi Capitals’ six-wicket triumph over Gujarat Titans here on Wednesday. He was adjudged ‘Player of the Match’ based purely on his keeping skills, a first in IPL since Dinesh Karthik won one in 2009 edition in South Africa.

Pant is the top contender for the wicketkeeper’s slot in the Indian squad that will be chosen for the showpiece in June.

“His mobility was something that will give him great encouragement, which will also encourage Team India. Of course, he needs game time, as everyone does when coming back from an injury,” Pietersen said on ‘Star Sports Cricket Live’.

“He’s returning from a horrific injury, so game time is crucial for him. To prepare for the T20 World Cup, he should play these 14–15 IPL games because it’s significant leading into a T20 World Cup. If he plays that much cricket, he will be ready,” he added referring to the life-threatening car crash in which Pant suffered multiple injuries in 2022.

Pietersen was also impressed by Pant’s captaincy during the game, saying he used his resources quite tactfully. DC dismissed GT for 89 runs in 17.3 overs before overhauling the target in 8.5 overs.

“Yeah, the first three bowlers actually bowled beautifully this evening and the way that Rishabh Pant marshalled his troops was exceptional because you want to see one bowler bowling one over and another bowling another…,” said the former batter.

“….they keep changing with five or six bowlers bowling in the first powerplay whereas Rishabh Pant said no, I am going to back my strike bowlers and I’m going to back the guys that are doing well for me, they are very good with the new ball and I want them to really bury GT.

“And that’s exactly what Delhi did, they buried GT in the powerplay.”