Veteran India opener Shikhar Dhawan has hailed Rishabh Pant for showing mental toughness during the tough phase of his life as he is all set to make his comeback in competitive cricket. The BCCI has declared Pant for the wicketkeeper’s role in the upcoming season of IPL as the star batter will be looking to make a comeback after more than 14 months. Pant sustained multiple injuries during a horrific car accident in December 2022.
The southpaw sustained a severe right knee injury that required a ligament reconstruction surgery besides a fractured wrist and ankle. The Delhi Capitals skipper worked hard during his rehabilitation at the NCA for the past few months.
Dhawan shared the details of Pant’s tough phase and revealed that he couldn’t even move in the initial months after the accident.
“I am very happy and excited to see Rishabh Pant back in action. He has survived such an accident, all thanks to God. In this last one year, he has worked so hard and shown such positive intent. He was in such pain that he wasn’t even able to move or do anything for the first few months,” Dhawan told Star Sports at the ‘Star Nahi Far’ event.
The veteran opener expressed his pleasure on Pant’s return and predicted he will do wonders on his comeback.
“Even for the toilet, he needed someone’s assistance. From that rough phase to now, he has shown a lot of patience, positivity, and tolerance, and it’s a huge thing. It surely gave him a lot of strength, and I am sure he is going to do wonders for himself and the country,” Dhawan added.
The BCCI on Tuesday released an update on Pant and declared him fit as a wicketkeeper batter.
“After undergoing an extensive 14-month rehab and recovery process, following a life-threatening road mishap on December 30th, 2022, near Roorkee, Uttarakhand, Rishabh Pant has now been declared fit as a wicket-keeper batter for the upcoming TATA IPL 2024,” the BCCI stated.
The upcoming IPL season will be crucial for Pant to make a case for himself for the T20 World Cup which will take place after the cash-rich league. The mega ICC event will be played in the USA and West Indies this June-July.
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Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
