Rishabh Pant made his cricketing return in IPL 2024 after missing out for 18 months after car accident.
Shikhar Dhawan, former India cricketer, lauded keeper-batter Rishabh Pant for the way he has made his comeback to cricket. Pant was out of action for over 18 months after being involved in a near-fatal car accident.
He missed the entire 2023 recovering and rehabbing after undergoing several surgeries for burns on his knee. Pant made his cricketing return in IPL 2024 and then was part of the T20 World Cup-winning Indian team.
He scored a brilliant century against Bangladesh in his first Test series since his return and has been the best Indian batter since then.
Shikhar Dhawan shared his wonder and amazement at Pant’s resolve to keep fighting and to once again play his game as he pleases after all he went through.
“Jab banda maut ke muh se bach ke aata hai, to uska dekhne ka nazaria hi badal jata hai (When a person returns after escaping the jaws of death, their perspective on life completely changes).
“I haven’t experienced anything like Rishabh’s accident myself, but his gratitude toward life has deepened…When I visited him (at the hospital), he was lying in bed with a huge smile on his face. That’s the spirit of Rishabh Pant. That’s why he’s back on the field, performing brilliantly. He’s mentally stronger now, and he appreciates life in a new way,” Dhawan told Times of India.
Pant was one of the bright spots for India in their recent Test series whitewash against New Zealand at home. He has been named in India’s squad for the Australia Test series and he will be expected to lead the charge for the Indian lower order.
“During the New Zealand series, he was heard saying ‘mujha kya pata tha ye hindi bol payega’ (How was I supposed to know he could even speak Hindi). That’s just Rishabh being Rishabh — completely himself, full of confidence and self-belief. The way he hit that six off Tim Southee was remarkable. He brings so much joy and excitement to fans and everyone who watches him,” Dhawan added.
Following the Test series loss to New Zealand, India has slipped to the second spot on the World Test Championship (WTC) points table while Australia has jumped up to the pole position. Now, if India wants to make it to their third consecutive final, they need to defeat Aussies by a margin of 4-0 to qualify on their own.