Having successfully completed an entire season with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has proved his fitness ahead of the forthcoming T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, starting June 1.

Pant’s return to competitive cricket has been nothing short of remarkable, following a gruelling 14-month hiatus due to a near-fatal accident in December 2022. The period of absence meant Pant missed out on several significant tournaments, including the IPL 2023, World Test Championship 2023 Final and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at home.

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The 26-year-old made a triumphant return in IPL 2024 and appears to be back to peak fitness after leading the Capitals in 13 games, barring the one-match ban for slow over-rate offence. On Wednesday, the Capitals completed their league stage with a win against the Lucknow Super Giants but the result is unlikely to boost their chances of making the IPL 2024 playoffs.

Reflecting on his journey back to the field after Delhi’s final league game, Pant expressed his gratitude for the unwavering support he received from fans across India.

“I think personally it was fantastic to come back on the field. The kind of support I got from whole India I would say was heartening to see. Wherever I went to play, I got support from each and every person. That was really good to see,” he said.

While it took Pant a few games to shake off the rust, he quickly regained his form with the bat and emerged as his team’s leading run-scorer, amassing 446 runs in 13 matches at an impressive strike rate of 155.40.

His stellar performance throughout the season not only contributed to his team’s success but also paved the way for a national comeback when he was picked in the India squad for the ICC T20 World Cup.

“Everyone knew that I am playing after one-and-a-half years so it was a long time to wait outside the ground. Loved every bit of it, just coming onto the ground, I just don’t want to stay away from the ground, want to stay on the field all the time,” he said.

Pant is expected to be India’s first-choice stumper in the T20 World Cup ahead of Sanju Samson.

India’s campaign begins on June 5 with their opening Group A clash against Ireland before they take on Pakistan in a much-awaited clash on June 9 in New York. The Men in Blue will round off their group stage fixtures against USA (June 12) and Canada (June 15).