‘I feel we might not see Rishabh Pant in…’ – Star India bowler’s bold statement ahead of ODI World Cup 2023

Star India bowler Ishant Sharma made a bold comment on Rishabh Pant, who is currently recovering from his injury at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), in Bengaluru. As the Men in Blue currently lock horns with West Indies, they are missing the likes of KL Rahul, and former Delhi Capitals skipper. Pant has been replaced by Ishan Kishan, who has made his debut in the ongoing Test series against West Indies.

Kishan went on to score his maiden half-century in the only second Test match of his career. He played an unbeaten knock of 52 runs from 34 balls with four fours and two sixes in his innings. He built an unbeaten partnership of 79 runs along with Shubman Gill, who played an unbeaten knock of 29 runs off 37 balls with hitting only a four in his innings. Not only in Tests, he has made his place in the ODIs as well with quite a few good performances.

I don’t think he will be fit for the World Cup for sure: Ishant Sharma

While Kishan and KS Bharat are in the race to replace Pant in the Test team, the wicketkeeper is expected to miss a lot of major tournaments in the near future like Asia Cup 2023 and the ODI World Cup 2023. He has already missed the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023, and the World Test Championship (WTC) final 2023 against Australia.

Recently, the 25-year-old posted a video in which he provided an update on his injury during the ongoing second Test match between India and West Indies at the Queen’s Park Oval, Port of Spain in Trinidad. After seeing that video, Ishant stated that it is likely that Pant will miss the 2024 edition of the IPL.

“I feel we might not see Rishabh Pant in the next IPL as well because it is not a small injury. It was a very serious accident. He has just started batting and wicketkeeping and to run and turn after that, there are a lot of things, which is not easy for a wicketkeeper and a batter,” Ishant was quoted as saying on  Jio Cinema.

“The good thing is that he didn’t have a second surgery. If he had undergone a second surgery, he would have been out for even longer. He has had one surgery now but I don’t think he will be fit for the World Cup for sure. Hopefully, if he gets fit for the IPL, it will be great,” the right-hand speedster asserted.