Rishabh Pant led-Delhi Capitals faced a significant setback on April 3rd when they suffered a massive 106-run defeat against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam. Despite the team’s batting struggles resulting in them being all out for 166 runs, captain Rishabh Pant continued to impress with a solid half-century. This marked his second consecutive fifty in IPL 2024.
This year holds particular significance for Rishabh Pant, as it marks his return to action following a horrific car accident on December 30th, 2022.
Michael Vaughan Backs Rishabh Pant To Play For India In T20 World Cup 2024
Rishabh Pant is not only performing well for Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024, but he’s also vying for the wicketkeeper-batsman position in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. His impressive performances in the last two matches have earned praise from former England captain Michael Vaughan. Vaughan believes that Pant’s recent form has secured his place in the squad for the mega tournament set to begin in June.
In a conversation with Cricbuzz, Michael Vaughan expressed his admiration for Rishabh Pant’s recent performances despite the challenges he has faced. Vaughan remarked on how remarkable it is to see Pant playing so well considering what he went through. He emphasized that Pant’s resurgence as a batter is excellent news for Indian cricket. He said:
“It is remarkable how well he is playing when you look at what he’s gone through. I don’t think he is running between the wickets as well as he was. But I think he is striking the ball as well as he was, which is a great sign for Delhi, a great sign for Team India.”
“He’s got a great gift, a natural gift to play cricket. Every time he sees the gap, he sees where the boundary riders are. The first ball off Mitchell Starc, he flicks it, and it goes straight into the stands. There are only a small few in the history of the game who can do that first ball. His team played poorly and he has got to take responsibility for that. But as a batter for the Indian cricket, it is great to see him play the way that he is.”
In a concluding message for chief selector Ajit Agarkar, Vaughan asked him to get his plane ticket, boarding pass, and hotels booked for Rishabh Pant for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024. He said:
“I’m sure he is able to play like that since he was about this high. A year and a half out of the game, in our terms, it seems like a long time. But you’re playing the game from 3 or 4 years of age, its absolutely not a long time. He knows how to play cricket. We spoke about him getting on that plane to the World Cup. Well if he didn’t have his plane ticket and his boarding pass and his hotels booked, Ajit Agarkar, get them booked.”
Meanwhile, while replying to a Tweet by Cricbuzz regarding a query about whether Rishabh Pant should be a ‘starter’ in India’s T20 lineup for the World Cup. Michael Vaughan came up with a perfect reply as he backed Pant to play in the T20 World Cup 2024. He wrote:
“Is this really a debate .. !!! He is one of the first on the plane & team sheet”
Check out the Tweet:
Is this really a debate .. !!! He is one of the first on the plane & team sheet https://t.co/OgzMdUL81Y
— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) April 4, 2024
