Rishabh Pant unlikely to keep wickets for DC in IPL 2024

Rishabh Pant is not likely to keep wickets for Delhi Capitals in the IPL 2024. The star cricketer is likely to play only as a batter and lead the Capitals in the IPL 2024. The latest reports claim that Pant is not yet fully fit to keep the wickets for his side in the 17th edition of the league. It is a bitteer sweet news for Delhi Capitals.

The head coach of DC, Ricky Ponting, had claimed that Pant would play in the IPL 2024 in unknown capacity. It looks like Pant needs a bit of time to be fully agile to keep wickets. It is one of those things that not many players can pull off unless being fully fit. DC might have to trust new options to keep the wickets.

They have a lot of options to look for. There are Indian players who are known for their keeping skills. The likes of Abhishek Porel and Kumar Kushagra are known to be safe behind the stumps. Porel, in fact, kept the wickets for DC in the IPL 2023 in the absence of Pant. It was his batting that made him an impact player in the 16th edition.

Will DC have an overseas WK batter?

Apart from Porel, Kushagra is known for his batting. For the same reason, DC got him for a huge price of INR 7.2 crores in the acution of the IPL 2024. The runner ups of the IPL 2020 targeted a lot of keepers in the mini auction. Ricky Bhui, Tristan Stubbs, and Shai Hope are some such players. Bhui has the experience of keeping wickets for his domestic side.

There are two overseas WK batters in DC's lineup, Stubbs and Shai Hope, who are different in nature. While Hope is a top and a middle order batter and a full time WK, Stubbs is a lower middle order batter who can finish the innings on high every now and then. He is more of a part time keeper, but kept for the entire season in the recently coincluded SA20 2024.