Missed being on the field in an India jersey: Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant’s career trajectory has picked up pace once again after he returned after a long hiatus from the game because of his road accident while driving to his home in Dehradun from Delhi. 

He captained the Delhi Capitals (DC) throughout the Indian Premier League 2024, and scored 446 runs in 13 innings at an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40. These brilliant numbers batting in the middle order pushed the Indian selectors to get Pant back in the side for the World Cup, and the fact that he played the entire IPL season without any major injury quibbles removed any dark clouds hanging around his fitness. 

Pant has travelled with the first group of Indian players to New York, where India will play their warm up game against Bangladesh on June 1. Speaking to BCCI.TV, Pant looked raring to go in the India blue during the marquee tournament. 

“Getting back on the field with an Indian jersey on is a different feeling altogether. This is something I missed a lot. Seeing the team mates here and meeting them again, spending time, having fun with them, having a conversation with them, I really enjoyed it all.

Hopefully I make it count and make it better from here,” Pant said. 

Pant also dwelled on playing cricket in a new part of the world and the hopes he has from this tournament. 

“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.”

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will also see drop in pitches being used in the newly built modular Nassau county international stadium where India will play against Pakistan on June 9. Pant looked excited to face this new challenge under foreign conditions. 

“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. Hopefully i make it count and i make it more better from here,” Pant said before signing off.