'If I had played the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final': Rishabh Pant portrays extreme hindsight

India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant shared his insights on how the outcome of the 2023 ODI World Cup final against Australia might have differed had he been part of the squad. Pant suggested that India could have either been all-out within 200 runs or achieved a score exceeding 300, had he been included in the playing XI for the final in Ahmedabad. Despite India's dominant performance throughout the tournament, they faced a disappointing defeat to Pat Cummins-led Australia in the final. Pant, still recovering from injuries sustained in a car accident at the time, only returned to cricketing action during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024.

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Rishabh Pant on what would have happened had he featured in ODI World Cup 2023 final

Renowned for his aggressive batting style, Rishabh Pant endured a 14-month absence from competitive cricket following a harrowing car accident in December 2022. However, the 26-year-old made a triumphant return to form with the Delhi Capitals (DC) in IPL 2024, showcasing his trademark batting prowess. His stellar performances earned him a spot in the India squad for the T20 World Cup in the USA.

Throughout the tournament, Pant exhibited resilience and character at the crease. However, in the final showdown, India's batters failed to display their usual brilliance, managing just 240 runs. Despite their efforts, they were unable to reach their desired total, falling short in the title match.

Speaking on India TV's Aap Ki Adalat show, Pant predicted what India's batting total would have been like if he was fit to be part of the playing eleven against Australia for the final.

"If I had played the 2023 Cricket World Cup Final then, we would have either been all out for 150 or 200 runs or would have scored over 300+ runs," Pant said on the show.

Since then, Pant has emerged as the most consistent Indian batter on American soil. He began by smashing 53 runs off just 32 balls against Bangladesh in the side's warm-up clash. This was swiftly followed by his crucial knock of 36 runs off 26 balls against Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener on June 5. Pant entered the tournament in top form, having amassed a total of 446 runs in 13 matches during IPL 2024.