Revisiting Rishabh Pant's stellar IPL 2024 campaign after 14-month hiatus
What's the story
Rishabh Pant made a stunning return to professional cricket in the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, after a 14-month injury layoff.
The Delhi Capitals captain made a dream comeback, displaying his batting prowess throughout the tournament.
However, despite his brilliance, his side could not qualify for the playoffs.
With the IPL 2025 being around the corner, let's revisit Pant's stellar returns in the preceding edition.
Return
Pant's return to the field
Pant met with a fatal car accident while driving near Roorkee on December 30, 2022.
As per the eyewitnesses, his car collided with the railing before going up in flames.
Pant, who sustained several injuries, was not even able to walk for a few months.
He hence missed several major cricket events including the 2023 IPL and the 50-over World Cup that year.
The 2024 IPL marked his return and the southpaw made his bat talk.
Statistics
Pant's impressive stats in IPL 2024
Pant finished as Delhi Capitals's highest run-scorer in IPL 2024. He racked up 446 runs from 13 matches at 40.54, striking at 155.40. This includes three fifties.
This season was the fourth occasion in his IPL career that Pant scored more than 400 runs in a season.
He also smashed an impressive tally of 25 sixes this season, placing him third behind Jake Fraser-McGurk (28) and Tristan Stubbs (26) among DC players.
Highlights
Pant's record-breaking performance against Gujarat Titans
One of the highlights of Pant's IPL 2024 season was his unbeaten 88 runs off just 43 balls against Gujarat Titans.
He floored GT with 5 fours and 8 sixes, striking at 204.65.
Axar Patel and Pant shared a 113-run stand for the fourth wicket. It is the highest fourth-wicket stand against GT in the IPL.
In the same match, Pant got to 150 IPL sixes.
DYK
3 fifties in IPL 2024 for Pant
Pant smashed the joint-second-most fifties for DC alongside Stubbs (3 each).
Only, Fraser-McGurk owned more half-centuries for the Capitals (4).
As per ESPNcricinfo, Pant managed a total of 293 runs versus pacers in IPL 2024.
The southpaw owned a strike rate of 184.27 against them.
Pant was dismissed five times by spinners. He scored 153 runs from 128 balls, striking at 119.53.
Auction
Pant to lead Lucknow Super Giants
Looking forward to IPL 2025, Pant will lead Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
The franchise bought him for a whopping ₹27 crore in the mega auction, making him the most expensive player in IPL history.
Delhi Capitals used their Right To Match card for Pant at ₹23.5 crore but lost to LSG's higher bid.
This transfer broke Shreyas Iyer's record value of ₹26.75 crore, setting a new benchmark in IPL player acquisitions.
Record
Pant's impressive IPL record
Notably, Pant was with DC since his IPL debut in 2016.
Pant was a pivotal player for the franchise over the years, scoring 3,284 runs in 111 matches at an average of 35.31.
His highest score is an impressive 128*. The southpaw has slammed 18 fifties besides a ton as his strike reads an impressive 148.93.
He continues to be the leading run-getter of the Capitals.