Sourav Ganguly gives an update on Rishabh Pant's fitness ahead of Indian T20 League 2023

Rishabh Pant, Sourav Ganguly (Source: Twitter)

Team India star batter Rishabh Pant met a life-threatening accident during the wee hours on 30^th December. The 25-year-old is currently undergoing treatment for his injuries in Mumbai after initially being hospitalized at a private hospital in Dehradun. As Pant continues to undergo treatment, Sourav Ganguly, former Indian Cricket Board President, who is reported to have joined the Delhi franchise as their director of cricket, has seemingly confirmed that the cricketer will miss this year's edition of the Indian T20 League.

“Rishabh Pant will not be available for the Indian T20 League. I am in connection with the Delhi franchise. It will be a great Indian T20 League (for the team), we will do well but Rishabh Pant’s injury will affect Delhi," Ganguly told reporters in Kolkata, as informed by Sports Today.

Ganguly had earlier been a part of the Delhi franchise as an advisor during the 2019 season of the league. He left the role after ascending to the presidential role in the Indian Cricket Board. In October last year, Ganguly was succeeded by Roger Binny.

Rishabh Pant is currently the captain of the Delhi franchise; in 2021, Pant had led the team to the playoffs. Last year, Delhi fell marginally in their bid to qualify for the playoffs, as they finished fifth in the table.

KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan filling in for Rishabh Pant in the Indian team

The wicketkeeper-batter has been part of the franchise since making his maiden appearance in the league in 2016. An integral member of the national team, Pant had been a part of India's playing XI merely four days before the accident when he took the field against Bangladesh in the second and final Test of the series. In Pant's absence, KL Rahul has assumed the responsibilities of keeper-batter in the ODIs, while Ishan Kishan donned the wicketkeeping gloves in T20Is.

Pant’s unavailability will be a huge concern for India in the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. India need to win three Tests out of four to seal their place in the World Test Championship final. The southpaw was the highest run scorer for India in the last test series between the two teams and played a crucial role in India’s historic victory in the last Test at Gabba which helped them win the series by 2-1.