Jindal said the Capitals think-tank, led by the team director Sourav Ganguly and head coach Ricky Ponting, was confident about Pant starting the IPL, subject to fitness clearance from the BCCI which is imminent.

"Rishabh is batting. He's running. He has started his wicketkeeping. He is likely to be fully fit for the IPL," Jindal said on Thursday. "I am expecting Rishabh to play IPL and he will lead from match one. First seven games we are going to play him only as a batter and depending on how his body reacts, we will take a call for the rest of the IPL."

Anrich Nortje 'good to go for first game'

While he played the inaugural season of Major League Cricket in the USA, he pulled out of the ODI series at home against Australia in September following a suspected stress fracture in the back and was eventually ruled out of the ODI World Cup as well. Doubts about his availability for IPL persisted after he did not play the SA20 either.

"He's fit," Jindal said. "Right now, he is bowing at 80% intensity. Next week, he will bowl at 100%. He's going to make his comeback in the IPL. He is going to join our camp and should be good to go for our first game."

"He's touch and go but will definitely be available for some part of IPL," Jindal said.

Harry Brook set for No. 6 role

Jindal was confident Capitals would make the playoffs mainly because Pant's return provided the right balance to the team. He also said Tristan Stubbs and Mitchell Marsh made the team a well-rounded unit.

"We feel very confident, the balance of the team is a lot better with Rishabh coming back in," he said. "We have a very good squad and a lot of options with players like Tristan Stubbs, who had a phenomenal SA20 [with champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape], and Mitch Marsh becoming captain of Australia's T20I team."

Another key reason behind Jindal's optimism for this season is the recruitment of a fresh batch of uncapped Indian players who, he said, were scouted and recommended by Ganguly. Among the uncapped Indians bought by Capitals at the auction are Jharkhand wicketkeeper-batter Kumar Kushagra, Haryana allrounder Sumit Kumar and Madhya Pradesh batter Ricky Bhui (who is currently the leading run-scorer in Ranji Trophy).

"We know our younger Indian players [better], we know which players to back in what positions a lot better than we did in the last season," Jindal said. "A lot of credit goes to the systems and processes put in place by Dada [Ganguly]."