Kolkata, Nov 10: Indian star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant will be back in action from the next IPL season, Delhi Capitals director of cricket Sourav Ganguly has said.

Pant, the Delhi Capitals skipper, had a close shave after his car hit a divider and caught fire in a terrifying accident in December last year.

Having suffered multiple injuries, Pant was back on his feet after 40 days and on Thursday, he joined his teammates during Delhi Capitals' training session at the Jadavpur University Salt Lake Campus ground.

"He's (Pant) good now. He will play in the IPL next season," Ganguly told reporters giving an update on Pant.

Ganguly, the former India captain, said Pant is here on a three-day visit to strategise on team-building ahead of the IPL auctions slated in Dubai on December 19.

Australia opener David Warner led DC in Pant's absence last season to finish second from the bottom.

"Rishabh won't be practising here though. There's still time for him to get down to practice. By January (2024), he'll get even better," Ganguly said.

"We were talking about the team. He is the captain, so he put in his views regarding the upcoming auction. That's the reason he has come here, to finalise certain aspects related to the team."

Pant last played for India in their Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur in December last year.

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New Delhi, Jan 11: AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday claimed that the BJP has picked former MP Ramesh Bidhuri as its chief ministerial candidate for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections and will soon make the announcement.

Addressing a press conference here, the former chief minister also challenged Bidhuri to a public debate.

"We have come to know from reliable sources that the BJP is going to name Ramesh Bidhuri as its CM candidate in the next one or two days," Kejriwal claimed.

"There should be an open public debate between the chief ministerial candidates of the AAP and the BJP, whether it is Ramesh Bidhuri or anyone else," he said.

"Yes, we are challenging the BJP to a debate," Kejriwal said in response to questions from reporters.

The BJP has fielded Bidhuri from Kalkaji assembly constituency. He will take on AAP candidate and Delhi Chief Minister Atishi, who is seeking re-election from the seat.

On Friday, Atishi also claimed that the BJP was going to name Bidhuri as its CM face and criticised the party for picking a leader who "hurls the most abuses".

Bidhuri's recent remarks about Atishi triggered a controversy. He said Atishi "changed her father" by changing her surname from Marlena to Singh.

He also drew flak for his remarks about Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi. He said he would make roads in his constituency smooth like "Priyanka Gandhi's cheeks". He expressed regret following an uproar.

The 70-member Delhi Assembly will go to polls on February 5 and the counting of votes will be taken up on February 8.

The AAP, which won 67 seats in the 2015 polls and 62 in the 2020 polls, is eyeing a third consecutive term in the capital. The BJP won three seats in 2015 and eight in 2020 while the Congress drew a blank.