Delhi Capitals’ Rishabh Pant is likely to be out of action for a minimum of seven to 10 days in the ongoing Indian Premier League after the wicketkeeper-batsman has suffered a grade 1 hamstring strain.
Pant suffered the injury during the match against Rajasthan Royals on Friday and missed the Sunday showdown against defending champions Mumbai Indians, which his team lost by five wickets. He has been ruled out for at least a week, according to captain Shreyas Iyer.
“DC had sent the scan reports to BCCI’s medical team as it is mandated by the BCCI for any centrally contracted Indian player. It shows that Pant has a Grade 1 tear,” an IPL source privy to the development told PTI on conditions of anonymity.
The Capitals were forced to field Alex Carey and drop Shimron Hetmyer in their last match against Mumbai Indians. Pant’s absence has massively hampered DC’s team balance as they can’t afford to lose two power-hitters at the back-end.
The only option in Capitals’ current line-up is big-hitting all-rounder Lalit Yadav, with a strike-rate of 136 plus in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy over 30 games. While Aussie wicketkeeper Carey still remains favourite to don the gloves, he has only hit six sixes in 30 T20 Internationals.
While Yadav doesn’t have keeping experience at the first-class level, he could well be used for a couple of games which gives Delhi an option to play Hetmyer as Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Marcus Stoinis are automatic picks in the playing XI.
Yesterday, the Capitals announced pacer Ishant Sharma’s unavailability due to an injury. The seasoned bowler had experienced pain in his left rib cage while bowling in a training session last Wednesday.
With PTI Inputs