Rishabh Pant: A timeline of his recovery process
Throughout the challenging recovery period, Rishabh Pant's unwavering spirit has shone, exemplified by his social media updates and his terming of the accident as his 'second birth.' The support of the BCCI and his rigorous rehabilitation program have been instrumental in his remarkable progress.
In Short
- Rishabh Pant referred his accident as his 'second birth'
- Pant has been regularly giving fitness updates on social media
- The southpaw is expected to make his India comeback in January 2024
Indian cricket fans have been eagerly awaiting news regarding star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's much-anticipated return to international cricket following a horrific road accident on December 30, 2022, that has significantly derailed his career.
The famed southpaw suffered multiple injuries, including a severe right knee injury that required ligament reconstruction surgery. More than seven months after the unfortunate incident, Pant is making substantial progress on the road to recovery.
Pant underwent surgery in Mumbai under the care of Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala in February 2023. Despite requiring intricate procedures on all three ligaments in his right knee, the star cricketer managed to update his fans on his progress, sharing an image on Instagram of his first walk post-surgery.
The car crash aftermath saw Pant ruled out from a number of tournaments and series, including the Indian Premier League 2023 and the World Test Championship Final. Despite this setback, Pant continued training and updating his fans via social media. He notably referred to his accident as his 'second birth' in a July 1 post on his social media.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) issued a press release on July 21 giving a promising update on Pant's progress. The young cricketer had resumed keeping in the nets at the National Cricket Academy (NCA), with the BCCI carefully tracking his comeback journey. The statement detailed Pant's ongoing recovery program, which incorporated strength training, flexibility exercises, and running drills.
Recent reports from the NCA on August 4 reveal Pant is now pain-free and back to his formidable batting practice, handling deliveries exceeding 140 km with ease. Adding to the optimism, further reports suggest that Pant will make a triumphant return to the Indian cricket team in the upcoming England tour of India in January 2024 for a five-match Test series.