30 May,2024 03:20 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Rishabh Pant (Pic: Screengrab/@BCCI)
It would be 527 days after which Rishabh Pant is set to don the Indian jersey on June 5 in the T20 World Cup 2024 match against Ireland.
On March 23 2024, Rishabh Pant wore the blue of Delhi Capitals during the IPL 2024. But more than that, he is eager to wear a different shade of blue the "Indian blue."
"Getting back on the field with an Indian jersey on is a different feeling altogether. This is something I missed a lot...Hopefully I (can) make it count and make it better from here," Pant told BCCI.TV on the sidelines of India's first net session ahead of the T20 World Cup 2024 warm-up game against Bangladesh on June 1.
Rishabh Pant who underwent a 15-month rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy was accompanied by his fellow teammate Suryakumar Yadav. Pant recalled how Suryakumar's presence helped him cope with the loneliness during the process.
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"Seeing the team here and meeting them again, spending time, having fun with them, having a conversation with them, I really enjoyed," a beaming Pant said.
In the recently concluded IPL 2024, he accumulated 446 runs in 13 matches and is slowly getting back into the groove. The fitter Pant looked in nice touch at the Indian nets at the Cantiague Park on the outskirts of New York City.
Rishabh Pant also spoke about the prospects of cricket gaining popularity in the USA going forward. He felt the T20 World Cup 2024 would be the start of an eventful chapter.
"We are used to playing in certain countries but this is a different prospect. It has opened up a different channel for sport because I feel cricket is growing around the world and...getting the exposure here would be nice for cricket as well as USA cricket," he said.
While speaking, Pant also opened up on drop-in pitches that will be used in the T20 World Cup 2024 and also how he and his teammates are getting used to the bright sunshine in New York.
"New pitches are there. I'm just getting used to the conditions. The sun is a little bit brighter here, so just getting used to the conditions over here. Let's see how it goes," Pant concluded.
(With PTI Inputs)
