IPL-17 | Rishabh Pant should board flight to USA for T20 World Cup, says Ricky Ponting

Delhi Capitals coach Ponting backs Pant for T20 World Cup, discusses importance of adaptability in T20 cricket.

Delhi Capitals head coach Ricky Ponting is convinced Rishabh Pant should board the flight to the USA for the T20 World Cup. He also opened up on other topics that are making the headlines in IPL 2024.

Excerpts

On Rishabh Pant’s World Cup selection: He will be in the squad for sure. He is too good a player and can have too much of an impact on games for India not to select him in the squad. We are obviously delighted to have him back. He is not very far off being at full fitness. He is running well between the wickets, he is keeping really well. He has lost nothing with his hand-eye coordination. With the gloves on, he is moving well. When I when I saw him just after the accident, obviously there wasn’t much to be happy about for him. But now that he is back playing and playing well, he has got a smile on his face again. That’s the most important.

On role of a batting anchor in T20 cricket: I don’t think there has been a spot for anchors for a long time in the game. You have to have batsmen that can do both. You need players that can adapt and adjust when required, but the way to do that is you have to pick your best and most aggressive players. And then hope that they can pull the reins in if you are three or four down.

On Impact Player’s extension to T20 cricket: I wouldn’t like to see it in international cricket and that doesn’t mean I’m not a fan of it here. International cricket is all about the team that has their strongest 11 or their strongest squad of 15 in a World Cup. You got to manage those players through the ups and downs of the World Cup and the team that’s left standing the strongest at the end will win, so leave it as it is.