Rishabh Pant recovers fully [Source: AFP]In a major and positive update, Rishabh Pant is likely to be available for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2026) season. Notably, the tournament is expected to begin in late March, around March 26. Therefore, this news brings great relief to fans as well as to his team, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).It is worth mentioning that Rishabh Pant will not only be ready for the IPL; he is also expected to be available across all formats of cricket. In addition, he has regained full fitness and match readiness. Rishabh Pant recovers fully after injuryEarlier this year, Rishabh Pant suffered a right-sided internal oblique muscle tear during a practice session before India’s ODI series against New Zealand. The incident happened at the BCA Stadium in Vadodara on January 10 during an optional training session. While batting in the nets, a throwdown delivery struck him just above the waist on the right side. Consequently, he fell down in pain, and the team physio, doctor, along with head coach Gautam Gambhir rushed to assist him.At that time, KL Rahul served as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper in ODIs, whereas Pant was the backup wicketkeeper and middle-order batter. Therefore, Pant missed the three-match ODI series against New Zealand.Rishabh Pant set to return for IPL 2026However, according to Sports journalist Abhishek Tripathi, Pant has now completely recovered from the injury. Hence, he is fully fit again and ready to play in all formats. This recovery is especially important, as it confirms his participation in IPL 2026.Abhishek Tripathi / अभिषेक त्रिपाठी @abhishereporter 🔥 Breaking 🔥 💥 पिछले महीने न्यूजीलैंड के विरुद्ध तीन मैचों की वनडे सीरीज में चोटिल हुए विकेटकीपर रिषभ पंत पूरी तरह से फिट हो गए हैं 💥 वह सभी प्रारूप के लिए उपलब्ध रहेंगे। यही नहीं लखनऊ सुपर जायंट्स के लिए भी ये राहत भरी खबर है क्योंकि वह 26 मार्च से शुरू हो रही इंडियन Feb 18, 2026, 12:30 AM Rishabh Pant’s injury challenges in recent yearsIt is important to note that Pant’s career in recent years has been affected by several injuries. Most notably, he survived a serious car accident in December 2022. Following that accident, he stayed away from international cricket and the IPL for a long period. After returning, he again faced fitness issues. Notably, he picked up a toe fracture during the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy 2025 against England last summer. Due to these injuries, his match participation remained limited.Despite these challenges, Rishabh Pant showed strong determination. He was last seen playing in the VHT 2025-26 season, where he scored 212 runs in six innings. His average stood at 42.40, and his strike rate reached 112.77. Therefore, his form and confidence appeared promising before IPL 2026.LSG make big changes ahead of IPL 2026Meanwhile, LSG made several changes last season; however, they did not produce the desired results. Pant replaced KL Rahul as captain, and Zaheer Khan joined as team mentor. Even so, the team finished seventh in the league stage, winning six out of 14 matches.Ahead of the auction, LSG released players such as Ravi Bishnoi, Akash Deep, and David Miller. They also traded Shardul Thakur to the Mumbai Indians. On the positive side, they signed Mohammed Shami and Arjun Tendulkar. Furthermore, during the IPL 2026 mini-auction, LSG strengthened their bowling by signing Wanindu Hasaranga and Anrich Nortje for ₹2 crore each. Their biggest purchase was Josh Inglis for ₹8.6 crore. In addition, they bought Akshat Raghuvanshi for ₹2.2 crore.Looking ahead, LSG aim to bounce back strongly in IPL 2026. This time, the biggest positive is Pant’s full fitness and availability.
