The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially confirmed Rishabh Pant's participation in Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, declaring him fit to participate in the upcoming T20 tournament as a wicketkeeper and batsman. The Delhi Capitals (DC) stalwart had been on the path of recovery following a harrowing car accident on December 30, 2022.
In an exclusive interaction with Times of India (TOI), Pant shared his sentiments regarding his much-awaited 'dream comeback'. Pant's initial reaction to the BCCI's clearance exuded sheer joy as he expressed his optimism about the news, indicating his eagerness to return to action on the cricketing field.
"Amazing feeling. This was the thing we were waiting for. It's been so long. I think you can still cope with a layoff of three to six months. But when it goes beyond that, it starts taking a toll. I just want to go out there and play and have fun. Not thinking about the future too much, because (then) you put too much pressure on yourself. Looking forward to each day as it comes," Pant excluisvely told TOI.
Pant revealed that he dedicated approximately three months to rigorous workouts.
"It wasn't just a physical battle for me. I decided to have a blast because when you are on the road while playing, you have to be eating in a certain way to be in a certain physical shape. I had planned it in my mind how I had to go forward and I had absolute clarity about it. For the first few months, I was enjoying myself when it came to food because that was the only thing that kept me sane.
"I was so frustrated that I thought I can't deny myself a good meal. There was nothing much I could have done. But later on, I started working very hard on my fitness and nutrition. We now have a dedicated team looking after my nutrition. I gave myself about three months of intense workout. I know I am strongly built to endure that. I just had to get rid of a little bit of extra weight and nutrition played a key role in that," Pant said.
Delhi Capitals begin their IPL 2024 campaign on March 23
IPL 2024 season kickstarts on March 22 with CSK vs RCB match. Delhi Capitals will begin their Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 campaign with a match against Punjab Kings on March 23 in Mohali. Delhi Capitals vs Punjab Kings IPL 2024 match begins at 3:30 PM IST.