The 26 year old Indian National Cricket Team Star wicketkeeper-batsman and Delhi Capitals (DC) captain Rishabh Pant is likely to feature in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, but primarily as an impact player.
The impact player rule was introduced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 and allows teams to replace a member of the playing XI from among the substitutes already named.
The impact player rule was introduced by the governing body to give teams more depth in their batting or bowling and has significantly reduced the role of an all-rounder in the league. The rule also allows franchises to properly manage the workload of some of the team’s key players.
Meanwhile, dynamic wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who has been out of action since last December, is expected to return in the upcoming IPL season.
Notably, he was involved in an accident on December 30, 2022, when his car crashed into the dividing guardrails on the Delhi-Haridwar Expressway. Rishabh Pant suffered multiple injuries but is now recovering well and has already started training.
Rishabh Pant to play IPL 2024 as an impact player
As per RevSportz reports, the Delhi Capitals (DC) management expects Rishabh Pant to be available for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 but they are taking it slow with his recovery and rehabilitation.
Furthermore, they plan to use the keeper-batsman as an impact player in most of the IPL 2024 games and he is not expected to keep wickets for the team during the season.
🚨BREAKING
Delhi Capitals are gearing up to welcome back Rishabh Pant for #IPL2024 but sources have confirmed that we are likely to see the dynamic left-hander more of an impact player in the tournament.@CricSubhayan @ThumsUpOfficial #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/1D0UIZUfFH
-RevSportz (@RevSportz) December 11, 2023
Rishabh Pant’s return will be a big boost for the team as they had a poor campaign in IPL 2023 under the leadership of veteran Australian opener David Warner. DC only won 5 games out of 14 and finished in 9th place in the 10-team points table.
In total, Rishabh Pant has played 98 matches in the Indian Premier League and has scored 2838 runs at an average of 34.61 and a strike rate of 147.97, with 1 ton and 15 fifties.
