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Rishabh Pant's much anticipated return to the IPL after a long injury layoff proved bittersweet. While his emotional homecoming garnered significant attention, his performance on the field fell short of expectations.
Leading the Delhi Capitals against the Sunrisers Hyderabad, Pant's batting lacked its usual spark. While his 44 runs off 35 balls hinted at his talent, fluency and explosiveness were noticeably absent.
This subdued performance throws a curveball at Pant's T20 World Cup aspirations. With the global tournament on the horizon, questions arise about his current form. The Hyderabad bowlers, particularly T Natarajan and Pat Cummins, deserve credit.
Their exceptional control, variation in pace, and clever use of the wide line outside off-stump -- an area Pant usually dominates -- restricted his scoring opportunities.
However, the challenge doesn't end there.
Dinesh Karthik's resurgence for the Royal Challengers Bangalore has intensified competition for the wicket-keeper-batsman spot in the national team. Karthik's blistering form, boasting a strike rate exceeding 200, presents a strong case for his selection.
Pant finds himself in a tight spot. As the T20 World Cup selection approaches, his underwhelming performance against the Sunrisers Hyderabad casts a shadow of doubt.
He has a limited window to rediscover his batting prowess and silence his critics. Only time will tell if he can reclaim his spot in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup.