Ricky Ponting backed Rishabh Pant to perform well for India in the 2024 T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and USA. Pant hasn’t played for the national team since December 2022 during the Bangladesh tour, but he has been playing for DC in the IPL recently.
Even though the Capitals didn’t reach the playoffs, Pant was their leading run-scorer with 446 runs in 13 games, averaging 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40. He hit three half-centuries, with a highest score of 88 not out. Ponting said he felt positive energy from Pant while working with him during the IPL.
“I was asked when I was over there what I thought about him. He’d been picked in the Indian squad, and I basically said he’d be one of the first players picked, and sure enough he was,” Ponting told the ICC Review.
“So, great to see him back out there playing again. I’ve enjoyed every moment of working with him. He’s been the captain of the Delhi Capitals, and I’ve been the coach there. But it’s been a remarkable comeback, and hopefully he has a huge impact on this World Cup,” Ponting said.
Ponting praised Pant for his dedicated batting efforts but mentioned that the DC captain had difficulties with wicket-keeping in the 14 matches.
“No one had real concerns about his batting, because of how good he is and how dynamic he is with the bat. But with his wicket-keeping, and having to squat every ball for 14 games in a row, there were certainly some concerns there,” Ponting added.