Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh PantThe kit bag and his belongings have already arrived at Delhi's team hotel in Rajkot, indicating that he will return to domestic cricket before his arrival. Ranji Trophy Against Saurashtra, starting on January 23. However, the batsman refused to lead the Delhi side, and Ayush Badoni continuing as Captain.
Pant last played in the Ranji Trophy in the 2017/18 season, leading Delhi to the final against Vidarbha in Indore. Despite their efforts, including 21 and 32 in the title race, Delhi lost by nine wickets. During that period, Pant scored 315 runs in seven matches at an average of 35.00, with a top score of 99.
Delhi, who are currently fourth in their group with 14 points after one win, one loss and three draws, will be boosted by Pant's presence as they look to improve their outlook.
Why is Rishabh Pant not leading the Delhi side?
According to a Cricbuzz report, Pant was offered the captaincy but chose to step down as he stressed the importance of maintaining the team's current status. “He believed that it would not be appropriate for him to join as a captain based on his experience as an international captain and an IPL player. He expressed his confidence in the existing captain. [Ayush Badoni] I'm a coach [Sarandeep Singh] advancing the team's vision,” a source close to the development was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.
Pant's return to the Delhi team comes after a successful performance in the recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia, where he scored 255 runs in five matches across nine innings, at an average of 28.33 and a strike rate of 59.02. His contributions included a century and helped him finish as the sixth fastest in the list.
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National stars will also face home teams
Meanwhile, Yashasvi Jaiswal he also joined the Mumbai squad for training for the second phase of the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy. He was recently spotted during the inauguration of the nets at the Bandra Kurla Complex Ground. On the other hand, Rohit Sharma he skipped a practice session recently but was seen running at the same venue. The development comes ahead of Mumbai's match against Jammu and Kashmir on January 23.
Shubman Gill has confirmed his presence for Punjab's sixth round match against Karnataka, which will start on January 23 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.