Tuesday, December 19th, Rishabh Pant is scheduled to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction in Dubai. This will be the first official engagement for the India wicketkeeper/batsman since his near-fatal tragedy occurred on New Year’s Eve of last year.
While it is not yet known whether Pant will raise the paddle, a member of the Delhi Capitals’ ownership group has verified to Cricbuzz that he will be in attendance at the auction. Additionally, the member verified that Pant will manage the team in IPL 2024, where it will compete. Pant is anticipated to reach maximum fitness by the end of February. The IPL is anticipated to begin in the final week of March, most likely on March 22, as previously reported.
Pant (25) is positioned to make IPL auction history as the first reigning captain to partake actively in one. Coach Ricky Ponting will be present at the Delhi Capitals auction table in addition to Pant. Pant participated in the deliberations of the auction crew. According to franchise sources, he participated actively in the meeting with coach Ponting.
In addition to other notable attendees, the auction will feature Gautam Gambhir, who recently assumed the role of mentor for Kolkata Knight Riders. Gambhir, who has also arrived in Dubai, will be seated at the table of the Knight Riders.
In addition to Ness Wadia of the Punjab Kings, Akash Ambani will represent the Mumbai Indians among the proprietors in attendance. Knight Riders’ Jay Mehta is currently in Dubai. It is anticipated that the majority of the ten franchise proprietors will be present.
Auction roster goes to 332
The quantity of participants that will be subject to bidding in the auction is 332. Two players have been added to the original roster of 333 following the withdrawals of Rehan Ahmed (England), Taskin Ahmed, and Shoriful Islam (both Bangladesh), as reported by Cricearlier in the day.
Kaushal Tambe (Maharashtra) and Sahil Dhiwan (Rajasthan) have been incorporated into the roster, bringing the total to 332. Furthermore, Nandre Burger, who made his debut for South Africa just recently, has been promoted from the uncapped lot to the capped category. Consequently, his initial asking price of Rs 20 lakh has been increased to Rs 50 lakh.
