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As the announcement of Team India's squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup approaches, speculation is rife about the final 15 players who will make the cut. This year's Indian Premier League (IPL) holds significant importance for players vying for a spot, and one such player is the returning wicketkeeper-batter and Delhi Capitals captain, Rishabh Pant.

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Rishabh Pant made a comeback to competitive cricket in this year's IPL after a hiatus of over 14 months due to a horrific car accident in December 2022. Despite the added responsibilities of captaincy and wicketkeeping, Pant has shown no signs of rustiness, scoring two half-centuries in Delhi Capitals' first six matches. He currently boasts a run tally of 194 runs at an impressive strike rate of 157.72.

Stuart Broad backs Rishabh Pant to be in the T20 World Cup squad

Leading the run charts for the Delhi Capitals this season, Pant has garnered support from former England pacer, Stuart Broad, who believes the Delhi boy should be India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for the upcoming T20 World Cup in June.

According to Stuart Broad, he initially had concerns about Rishabh Pant's fitness at the start of the season but was quickly reassured after witnessing a particular shot played by Pant against Kolkata Knight Riders.

“The selection for the Indian team is up in the air a little bit. You have some players pending in that team. Rishabh Pant's probably the one on whom there's a lot of discussion about. There was a shot I saw him play against KKR, a no-look flick over deep square leg for six. The moment he played that shot, I thought, he has got to be in that T20 World Cup squad. He's ready. He's good to go,” Stuart Broad was quoted as saying to Star Sports.

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However, Broad emphasized the importance of managing Pant's workload despite his strong performances. He suggested that Delhi Capitals could utilize Pant purely as a batsman in "a couple of matches." Earlier in the season, Lucknow Super Giants employed a similar strategy, using their captain KL Rahul as an Impact Player while Nicholas Pooran took on the leadership role.

“He has taken a huge amount on, he's been out of the game for such a long period. He's captain, he's wicketkeeper, he's batting 3, 4, 5. There's a huge amount on his plate already. I'd like to see him be an Impact Sub in a couple of games, take a bit of the workload off his shoulders,” Broad added.