IPL 2024 2024: 'Lucky to be alive' Rishabh Pant to sit on Delhi Capitals table during auction in Dubai

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IPL 2024 Auction: Rishabh Pant is set to become the first reigning captain of an IPL team who will actively take part in an auction process. The star wicketkeeper-batter, who did not play in IPL 2023 due to the life-threatening injuries he suffered during his horrific car accident on December 30, 2022, will be sitting at the Delhi Capitals (DC) auction table at the Coca Cola Arena in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19.

Rishabh Pant has travelled to the UAE and would be participating in the mini-auction for Delhi Capitals alongside Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly. With a purse of Rs 28.95 crores, Delhi Capitals can buy a total of nine players including four overseas stars.

Ahead of the auction, Rishabh Pant said that he was lucky to be alive after the near fatal car accident. He said he always had the dream to sit on an auction table and help a franchise build a team. The southpaw said he was nervous but excited.

“You know as a kid, I used to think like one day I might be able to sit on the table somehow to help a team or something like that. I never thought that I will make it happen, but somehow things are in place and I am able to do it. And lucky to be able to do it," Pant said in a video posted by IPL.

“Nervousness is one thing which i have to work on. Whenever you do something new or exciting, the nervousness is always there, but like I want to grow as individual and learn whatever I can from it.”

“Hopefully, it will be an amazing experience because this is something new. Lots of love for the fans and I hope we get whatever we want from the auction, I guess.

Rishabh Pant opens on his accident: Lucky to be alive

The 26-year-old also talked about his car accident which has kept him away from any kind of cricket for almost a year now. The Delhi Capitals captain said he endured a lot of pain in the beginning but his recovery has been good.

Pant was also seen in stadiums supporting Delhi Capitals last year. He said it was part of the recovery process as he felt he couldn't face people.

“The kind of accident I had I am lucky to be alive. The first part of recovery was so challenging with lots of pain but now recovery is going well.

“More from a physical point of view because in the starting there was a lot of pain to be endured. But just looking forward to the journey till now. I think it’s been going really well from a recovery point of view.

“I felt like I couldn’t face people and all, and I felt like I had to do something which gives me confidence and I wanted to support my team at the same time because I’ve been playing for them. I love my team all the way, so I wanted to show my support even in the worst times. So that was the idea and I think it’s part of the recovery process,” Pant added.

Rishabh Pant on his first auction price: The was crazy money for me

Recalling his first auction price, Pant said getting Rs 1.90 crore in his first ever auction back in 2016 was a moment he would never forget in his life.

“Every player will remember their first price or first auction day. I think I went for 1.9 crore. And I loved it because I just played U-19 India and that time it was crazy money for me. Really lucky to be part of Delhi Capitals.