Rishabh Pant's big milestone yet in road to recovery: From walking with crutches to running on field

India's star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant achieved a huge milestone in his road to recovery. Pant's resilience and 'never-say-die' attitude made him reach this stage after suffering a near-fatal car accident in December 2022.

Pant has constantly updated his fans about his recovery progress. His recent Instagram story would leave the Indian fans elated. From a stage where Pant had to walk with the help of crutches, till now, where he is running without any assistance, Pant has come a long way. Pant could be seen running swiftly and with ease in his latest Instagram story. A sight the Indian fans have craved for over a year. From taking baby steps, Pant's hard work and his self-belief made him come this far in what he called his 'second life'.

Pant also posted a motivational quote on his Instagram story, "Seems like you forgot, let me remind you. Remember when it was hard and it was overwhelming, and you felt afraid and still walked alone? You didn't have the answers then and couldn't see the way and wanted to give up? You still kept going. Never forget that. #RP17."

Pant was involved in a life-threatening car crash on the fateful night of December 30, 2022 when he was driving from Delhi to meet his family in Roorkee. In an interview with Star Sports, Pant revealed that the very first thought that came to his mind after the accident was that 'his time in this world was over'.

"It was the first time I had such a feeling in life. At the time of the accident, I was aware of the wounds, but I was lucky as it could have been even more serious."

PANT'S ROAD TO RECOVERY

Pant had to undergo multiple surgeries to reconstruct his 3 ligaments in his right knee. After that, Pant went to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru and trained hard to get back on his feet. Pant revealed that he had been bedridden for over a month. Last year, in February, Pant took his first step after the accident and posted a video of that on social media.

"I didn't think I would ever enjoy brushing my teeth. The first time I took a bath, I didn't feel like coming out. These small things gave me joy because I'm fortunate to have a second life. Not everyone is fortunate enough to get it. I wanted to update all the people who had prayed for my recovery and health," Pant said on Star Sports.

Pant is expected to return to cricket during the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League. Delhi Capitals' head coach Ricky Ponting also informed that Pant looked confident to regain full fitness ahead of IPL 2024. The star wicketkeeper-batter also attended the practice session of the Indian team ahead of the 3rd T20I against Afghanistan in Bengaluru and was also seen doing batting practice.