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NEW DELHI: Fans breathed a sigh of relief as India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant stepped off the team bus without any strapping on his left knee during the second day of practice at the ICC Academy on Monday.
As reported by TimesofIndia.com, Pant had taken a blow to his left knee during drills on Sunday when a slash from Hardik Pandya struck him while he was stationed near the nets.
On Monday, Pant appeared comfortable as he walked toward a group of enthusiastic fans chanting his name.
“Pant! Pant! Autograph, please!” they shouted, and the wicketkeeper-batter didn’t disappoint. Pant happily signed autographs and clicked selfies with his admirers.
Pant started his practice session cautiously, opting out of the fielding drills.
While his teammates took high catches, he engaged in shadow batting instead. Though he arrived at the venue without knee strapping, he put one on before beginning his training session.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir was spotted in high spirits, visibly pleased to see Pant back on the field.
Two-time Champions Trophy winners India will kick off their 2025 campaign against Bangladesh on February 20, followed by the highly anticipated showdown against archrivals Pakistan on February 23. Their final Group A fixture is scheduled for March 2 against New Zealand.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1998, India have lifted the Champions Trophy twice. Their first triumph came in 2002 under Sourav Ganguly’s captaincy when India and Sri Lanka were declared joint winners after a rain-marred final in Colombo.
The second title came in 2013, with MS Dhoni leading India to victory over hosts England.
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