Rishabh Pant has commenced a series of match-simulation routines as part of his recovery journey following a severe car accident in December 2022, with the aim of making a comeback to competitive cricket for IPL 2024.

On Tuesday, Pant, along with Hardik Pandya, who is recuperating from an ankle injury, engaged in a 20-over practice match at the KSCA facility in Alur, Karnataka, under the guidance of National Cricket Academy physiotherapists and trainers. Further conditioning and match-simulation exercises are scheduled for Thursday, with this regimen likely to persist until early March.

Road to Recovery: Rishabh Pant’s Match-Simulation Journey

According to ESPNcricinfo sources, Pant showed no signs of discomfort throughout his batting stint and the monitoring team is reportedly pleased with his stamina levels. However, Pant refrained from wicketkeeping duties and is expected to resume that aspect of his training in March. Should he regain full fitness in time for the IPL, he is anticipated to feature primarily as a specialist batsman for Delhi Capitals.

On Tuesday, Pant shared a video on Instagram demonstrating wicketkeeping and mobility drills, which have been integral to his lower-body conditioning over the past six weeks. The NCA staff is cautious not to overload Pant and aims to gradually reintegrate him into the demanding training routines of a high-intensity environment.

Managing Pant’s Comeback: Ponting’s Perspective and NCA’s Support

Ricky Ponting, Delhi Capitals’ head coach, recently discussed the strategy for managing Rishabh Pant during IPL 2024, acknowledging the need for caution if Pant wasn’t fully prepared to participate in every match.

“We’ll keep our hopes up and hope he can be on the field,” Ponting remarked. “Even if he doesn’t play all the games, if we can guide him through 10 out of the 14 matches or whatever it may be, any appearances we get from him will be a bonus.”

Ponting added, “Rishabh is very optimistic about his readiness to play. We’re still uncertain about his exact role. But I bet if you asked him right now, he’d say, ‘I’m playing every game, I’m keeping every game, and I’m batting at No.4.’ That’s just his attitude, but we’ll remain hopeful.”

Pant has been out of competitive cricket since the December 2022 accident, during which he was driving from Delhi to his hometown of Roorkee to visit family. Initially treated in Dehradun, Pant was later airlifted to Mumbai, where he underwent knee surgery under the care of the BCCI’s specialist consultant.

Since April of the previous year, Pant has primarily been at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for rehabilitation, under the guidance of physio S Rajnikanth, who has extensive experience working with various India age-group teams and has also been part of the Delhi Capitals’ support staff.

Rajnikanth, known for his work with Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah, and M Vijay in their recovery from serious injuries, has been instrumental in Pant’s rehabilitation. Additionally, Thulasi Ram Yuvaraj, another NCA physio, has been focusing on mobility and speed drills with Pant.

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