Rishabh Pant is prepping for a return to cricket in IPL 2024. His journey back to the field follows a dire car accident in December 2022 near Roorkee, Uttarakhand.
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During his recovery, the prolific wicketkeeper-batter shared insights with Star Sports about the harrowing experience. He expressed a profound sense of fortune for surviving the crash. He acknowledged the daunting recovery timeline proposed by his physician.
"For the first time in my life, I felt like my time in this world was up. During the accident, I was aware of the wounds, but I was lucky as it could have been even more serious. I felt that someone saved me. I asked the doctor how long it would take for me to recover. He said it would take 16-18 months. I knew I had to work hard to cut this recovery time," he said.
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The wicketkeeper's injuries were extensive. It impacted his right wrist, ankle and toe. It also caused abrasions on his back. Initial medical care was provided at Saksham Hospital near New Delhi. Then, he was admitted to Max Hospital in Dehradun.
Details of the accident reveal a chilling scene where Pant's car caught fire after a collision with a central divider early in the morning. The vehicle skidded quite a long way.
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Delhi Capitals, the IPL team that Pant captains, got involved in his road to recovery. Pant was a part of the IPL 2024 auction and a camp in November. His anticipated return to the pitch is generating buzz, especially with the upcoming T20 World Cup.
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KS Bharat has temporarily filled Pant's role in Test matches, yet the void left by Pant is palpable. However, India's recent defeat to England at home raises questions about India's batting line-up. And, Pant is highly successful in all three formats of the game.
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His skills were missed in critical matches, including the World Cup final against Australia, another crucial match Rohit Sharma's boys lost at home. Pant's absence from cricket has been conspicuous. Now, it's time for him to come back.