Rishabh Pant was going to be the face of the inaugural edition of the Delhi Premier League (DPL). It’s just the second match for his team; the Purani Dilli 6 is playing the East Delhi Riders match, and instead of him, Lalit Yadav is leading the side. It isn’t that big of a shock, though.
Why Rishabh Pant isn’t playing
Most didn’t expect him to play in the DPL T20 2024. Pant has been playing continuous cricket since March, and starting September 5, he’ll be playing red-ball cricket until late October and then travel to Australia in November for the 5-match Test series between India and Australia.
But then, why did he have to play in the DPL? Pant decided that the DDCA (Delhi & District Cricket Association) has played a huge role in him reaching the stage at which he’s right now and thought he’d pay them back but played the opening match.
“Rishabh has agreed to play the first match of the DPLT20 as he wanted to be a part of this initiative that is likely to provide a great platform for youngsters in Delhi. He acknowledges the role played by Delhi cricket in his career. However, it’s important for him to take care of himself given there is a long Test season coming. Being in prime shape to represent the country is his utmost priority. He will get back to red-ball training after the first match of DPL and start preparing for the long-format season starting with Duleep Trophy in the first week of Sept. DDCA and the Purani Dilli 6 management appreciates Rishabh’s gesture and also respects his commitments,” a source had told Times of India.
