IPL 2024: Dissecting how comeback star Rishabh Pant can find a place in India's T20 World Cup squad

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IPL 2024: When Rishabh Pant was declared fit to play as wicketkeeper-batter ahead of the IPL 2024, the cricket community was ecstatic, but almost everyone wondered how the youngster would fare. A near fatal car accident in December 2022 led to a 14-month injury layoff.

Making a comeback directly in a high-profile tournament like the IPL had its own challenges. Getting over the pain and misery of more than one year, and directly facing the likes of Mitchell Starc, Kagiso Rabada, Matheesha Pathirana, and other world class bowlers came with a major risk.

In a situation where the majority would run for cover, Rishabh Pant has led Delhi Capitals (DC) from the front. He could score only 18 runs in his comeback innings against Punjab Kings (PBKS). However, the disappointment on his face after the dismissal explained that the 26-year-old was eyeing something big.

The next match saw him find his feet further with 26-ball 28 including two fours and a six. Come the third match against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the right-hander promoted himself at three and blasted 51 off 32 balls. This time around he managed to hit four boundaries and three sixes as Delhi registered their first win of the season.

Delhi Capitals lost the fourth match, but the comeback king prevailed once again by scoring 55 runs off 25 balls. Five sixes came off his bat this time. The innings truly announced the re-arrival of 'unorthodox' Rishabh Pant.

Will Rishabh Pant play in the T20 World Cup 2024?

A couple of months ago, India were spoiled for choices for the wicketkeeper-batter's slot. However, as things stand now, the pecking order is witnessing a lot of changes. A couple of more fiery knocks from Pant might push others out of the race.

Ishan Kishan has lost his central contract on some disciplinary grounds. He started his IPL 2024 campaign with a duck, and scored 10 off six in his last match against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Mumbai losing three matches on the trot amid the massive row over the captaincy change isn't helping Ishan Kishan either.

Jitesh Sharma, who was preferred over Ishan Kishan in T20I, isn't having the best of times in IPL 2024. He has registered scores of 9, 27 and 6. Apart from a strike rate of 147.05, the Punjab Kings (PBKS) wicketkeeper-batter has not much to boost in his 9-mach T20I career in which he averages 14.28.

KL Rahul and Sanju Samson are the two other prospects left for the wicketkeeper-batter slots in India squad for the T20 World Cup 2024. Rahul often gets the preference because of the quality he possesses. He has also time and again moulded himself as per the team's requirement. His middle-order role in Test and ODI cricket has been well received by all.

But can he succeed as a middle-order batter in T20 cricket. It was anticipated that the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) captain will bat in the middle-order in IPL 2024 to prepare himself in the role for T20 World Cup 2024. However, the first three matches have seen him open alongside Quinton de Kock.

In the presence of Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, there is no chance for KL Rahul to open for India in T20 World Cup 2024. Moreover, KL Rahul's strike rate in T20s has been in question for long. He scored 58 off 44 in the first match, 15 off nine in the second, and 20 off 14 in the third.

Lastly, Sanju Samson's inconsistency could cost him another World Cup berth. Like always, he kicked off his IPL season with a bang, scoring 82 unbeaten runs off 52 balls, but the next two games have seen him score 15 and 12 runs respectively.

Rishabh Pant is back after a long gap, and he looks hungry. He missed out on a home World Cup, and would be looking to give it his all to feature in the historic 20-team T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and the West Indies. The southpaw has laid the foundation stone, he just needs to hold the fort now.