The sight of Pant taking the field as DC\u2019s captain and do his thing at a cricket ground after 14 months of recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident in December 2022 will undoubtedly stir the emotions of every human present at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
But what about the feelings of the man of the moment on the verge of his return to where he truly belongs in just under 24 hours from now? \u201cJittery, nervous, excited - all of them. But at the same time, I am just happy to be able to come back to playing professional cricket. I\u2019m just looking forward to playing my first game tomorrow,\u201d said Pant in the pre-match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cEvery time I take the field, it\u2019s a different feeling altogether. I just wanted to bat as much as I could and get better every day. I don\u2019t think much about the future, I take one day at a time, and look to give my 100% each and every day,\u201d Pant said on Friday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Despite the question of whether Pant can swiftly find his match fitness and rhythm as a wicketkeeper-batter and captain, his time off from the sport has amplified his love for the game more than ever. Pant struggled to find words to express his emotions upon entering the field for the first time after being cleared fully fit by the NCA.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI just wanted to be in the moment at that time and there are no words to describe that kind of feeling when you are out on the field after one and a half years. Nothing comes close to loving that feeling and there are not enough words to describe that feeling. When I entered the field even in the practice matches at the NCA and now whenever I take the field, it\u2019s a different feeling for me. I just love the game more and more now, that\u2019s it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Before he participated in DC\u2019s pre-season camp in Visakhapatnam, Pant shared a video in which he concealed his face with a handkerchief and engaged in a game of marbles with children on the streets of Bengaluru, a moment he sought to savor and enjoy.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI was just cycling around where I was staying in Bengaluru. On seeing the kids playing marbles, I felt like I could play with these kids and my heart also felt the same. Generally, what happens is when you are playing at the top level, you think about a lot of things and so much might happen. But at the same time, you have to enjoy the moment and that\u2019s what I tried to do. I felt like doing it in that moment; just did it and I was happy with it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In Visakhapatnam, Pant was practising his repertoire of shots which made him a fan-favourite around the world and left their heartbeat racing on seeing audacious strokeplay from the left-hander\u2019s willow. The time before coming to Chandigarh was for Pant to get back that feeling of being himself with the bat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI am coming back after a long injury, and my aim from a batting point of view was to get as much batting practice as possible, to get into the position of playing shots and the muscle memory was always there with me since childhood, even though I didn\u2019t play for one and a half years.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cMy intention as a cricketer was to get better and I am finding it fun to do everything. For me, the most important thing is to enjoy everything, be happy and give your 100% at the ground. I want to say thanks to the fans as they have been supporting us for so many years and they have been very helpful during the injury recovery,\u201d he said.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Liam Livingstone, another explosive batter from the Punjab Kings, welcomed Pant\u2019s return. \u201cFirstly, I have just seen Rishabh, so it\u2019s obviously nice to see him back. He\u2019s obviously been through a lot over the last 18 months. I\u2019m sure everyone in the cricket family will be happy to see him back and fit and healthy and playing again,\u201d he said in the pre-match press conference.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The DC camp is all smiles, thanks to Pant\u2019s return, mentioned head coach Ricky Ponting. \u201cWe are about to start an IPL (campaign), it\u2019s really an exciting time of the year. We missed our captain and one of the best players in the world last year. This year, it becomes more exciting when your captain is back in your team. His attitude, smile, and the way he goes about his business; he wants to win games for the team.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWhen you have that attitude in the team, it brings an infectious energy to everyone in the team. He is our leader, he is the heartbeat of this franchise, and having him back is going to make this team a lot better and stronger. I and the entire team are smiling to see him back in the mix.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
In Pant\u2019s absence, DC looked lost as a unit in IPL 2023, finishing at ninth place. There were doubts about his future as a cricketer and whether he could maintain his fearless and free-spirited style of play. However, Ponting reassured that Pant himself had no uncertainty about playing cricket again.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI caught up with Rishabh a couple of times during the IPL last year. At that stage, he was on crutches and was just trying to walk. I then met him during the camp in Kolkata, when the World Cup was on, where he was walking a lot freer and was starting to do just jogging.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cThe next time I saw him, it was at the camp in Vizag, and look at him - he\u2019s ready to go. It\u2019s an amazing story and we as Delhi Capitals and cricket-loving people in India should be really proud of it. He\u2019s worked extremely hard and there were a lot of doubters over him playing again.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cBut in his own heart and mind, he never had those doubts; it was just a matter of time for him to come back and look at the way he\u2019s presented himself for this IPL. He\u2019s all set to go and we are very excited to see what he brings.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Saturday might not answer all the queries surrounding Pant\u2019s restart of his cricketing career, but it has the potential to set the stage for an inspiring comeback. Trust him to embrace his inner child on the field, finding joy in being part of the game and fully immersing himself in every moment of action.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cWe had a week\u2019s training in Vizag before coming here and trust me Rishabh is back and ready to play. He is batting and moving behind the stumps beautifully, he will be a little bit nervous tomorrow, playing his first game in a while. But nerves are always good because it means something to you. I\u2019ve seen where his game is at, and don\u2019t be surprised if something special happens tomorrow,\u201d concluded Ponting.<\/p>\r\n\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2024\/03\/ipl-2024-jittery-nervous-excited-rishabh-pant-on-emotions-ahead-of-long-awaited-return.jpeg", "alt_img": "IPL 2024: Jittery, nervous, excited \u2013 Rishabh Pant on emotions ahead of long-awaited return", "alt_title": "IPL 2024: Return complete as Delhi Capitals name Rishabh Pant as captain ", "image1": null, "video": null, "seo_title": "IPL 2024: Jittery, Nervous, Excited \u2013 Rishabh Pant On Emotions Ahead Of Long-awaited Return On Cricketnmore", "seo_desc": "IPL 2024: Jittery, Nervous, Excited \u2013 Rishabh Pant On Emotions Ahead Of Long-awaited Return, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket: Even though Saturday\u2019s match between Delhi Capitals and Punjab Kings is the first afternoon fixture.", "seo_keywords": "Rishabh Pant, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Indian Premier League, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket, In Visakhapatnam, Liam Livingstone, The DC, Ricky Ponting, In Pant, World Cup", "tag": "", "tagging": "Rishabh Pant, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Indian Premier League, In Visakhapatnam, Liam Livingstone, The DC, Ricky Ponting, In Pant, World Cup", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": null, "slug": "ipl-2024-jittery-nervous-excited-rishabh-pant-on-emotions-ahead-of-long-awaited-return", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": null, "ians_time": null, "server_time": null, "trash": "0", "view_count": "787", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2024-03-22 20:52:03", "updated": "2024-03-22 20:52:03", "img_from": "Image Source: IANS", "img_source": null, "schedule_publish": null, "news_keywords": "Rishabh Pant, Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings, Indian Premier League, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket, In Visakhapatnam, Liam Livingstone, The DC, Ricky Ponting, In Pant, World Cup", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "1", "google_feed": "1", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "23", "jio_date": "2024-03-22 20:52:03", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "1", "google_date": null, "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/ipl-2024-jittery-nervous-excited-rishabh-pant-on-emotions-ahead-of-long-awaited-return-140924" }