From car accident to creating history - When life bowled a bouncer, Rishabh Pant hit a century

“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice – Bob Marley”. For Rishabh Pant, this wasn’t just a quote; it became his career reality. The Indian wicketkeeper batter was at the peak of his Test career when a tragic car accident changed everything in December 2022. Driving from New Delhi to Roorkee, Pant met with a crash that resulted in a triple ligament tear in his right leg. Pant underwent a complex reconstructive knee surgery and spent over 400 days in intense rehabilitation, comprising walking and physiotherapy. He took baby steps to ensure he was back to normal and most importantly, the hope to don the Indian jersey again kept him going.

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Day 450 of his recovery journey saw him mark his return in the IPL 2024 against Punjab Kings (PBKS), where he ran his first run. Just five days later, on Day 455, he smashed a 32-ball half-century against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), showing glimpses of the old Pant.

Shortly, he made a return to international cricket, featuring for India in the T20 World Cup 2024 group-stage match against Ireland. But the biggest twist in his comeback came on June 29, 2024. In a tense ICC T20 World Cup final against South Africa, with the opposition needing less than a run-a-ball, Pant opted for a time-delay tactic after the 16th over to give India a crucial and stopped ongoing momentum for South Africa. The clever move helped India regain momentum, and they went on to win the match by seven runs, lifting the trophy under the leadership of then-skipper Rohit Sharma.

Additionally, Pant was nominated for the prestigious 2025 Laureus World Sports Awards, which recognises the most inspiring sports stories across the globe. However, not everything was fruitful for him. The Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024 between Australia and India in Australia turned out to be forgettable for him.

He managed just 255 runs with one fifty, averaging 28 in nine innings, far less than his 2021 heroics, where he was India’s top scorer, famously hitting the winning runs at the Gabba and ending Australia’s 32-year unbeaten streak in Brisbane.

In the Champions Trophy 2025, he was part of India’s victorious squad, while in the IPL 2025 Auction, he made headlines again after being bought by the Lucknow Super Giants for a whopping Rs 27 crore ($3.8 million). But the season didn’t go well as LSG failed to make the playoffs and Pant could only manage 269 runs in 14 games, averaging below 24.

Then came June 24, 2025, a day that will go down in the history books. Pant became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score twin centuries in a Test match in England, smashing 134 in the first innings and 118 in the second at Headingley. On Day 4, he sealed his legacy with this record-breaking feat, marking the peak of his comeback.

Pant's journey is the perfect blend of pain, patience, and persistence.