Pant likely to miss most of 2023, could be out of World Cup

India's star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is likely to most the entirety of 2023, according to a report, which includes the impending Indian Premier League season and also the ODI World Cup later this year. Pant had survived a car crash on December 30 when he was driving home to Roorkee from Delhi, where he had torn three ligaments on his knee. While two were reconstructed the other will be operated a month later.

According to a report in ESPNCricinfo, Pant is likely to be sidelined for more than six months which means his chances of being picked for the ODI World Cup team has diminished immensely. Last week, the cricketer underwent a surgery where posterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament were reconstructed. Pant is now slated to undergo a second surgery, six weeks later, where anterior cruciate ligament will be reconstructed.

While BCCI are yet to given an update on a timeline for Pant's recovery, but the report adds that the selectors and the board members agree that he will be out for at least six months.

Pant last played for India in away series against Bangladesh in early December last year. Two crucial contest that Pant is likely to miss for India is the impending Border-Gavaskar series, which starts from February 9 onwards in Nagpur, and the World Test Championship final. Selectors picked KS Bharat and Ishan Kishan as the two wicketkeeping options for the Australia series, with the former likely to the first-choice option.

Pant, who is the skipper of Delhi Capitals, will also be out of action for IPL 2023, which begins from April 1 onwards.

"Rishabh Pant will not be available for the IPL," former national cricket board chief Sourav Ganguly had confirmed on Tuesday. "It will be a great IPL (for the team), we will do well but Rishabh Pant's injury will affect the Delhi Capitals."