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New Delhi, India
India’s star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has opened up on his near-fatal car accident in December 2022 as he prepares for a return to the playing circuit. Rishabh, who suffered serious injuries after meeting with an accident on 30 December 2022, has been on the sidelines and is yet to feature in any form of the game. According to the star batter, he thought his time was up and was aware of how serious his injury was after the tragic car accident.
Rishabh opens on tragic accident
"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 was feeling that someone saved me. I asked the doctor how long will it 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,” Pant said while speaking to Star Sports.
The left-hand batter since the December 2022 accident has been under close inspection by doctors and is on course for rehabilitation. While there is no date set for his return to the playing field, it is speculated that the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) season could see him back in action. However, with Rishabh yet to resume his serious on-field training, it is highly unlikely that he could make the Delhi Capitals’ (DC) squad.
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India missing Rishabh’s services
The talismanic batter missed the entire of 2023 and was not available for selection during the ODI World Cup and the World Test Championship (WTC). His continued absence has left a big void in the Indian team as they still struggle to find the same versatility offered by Rishabh in the Test format.
India are currently short of options in the wicketkeeper department as they continue to struggle to find a consistent replacement for Rishabh. As things stand, Ishan Kishan is out of favour while KL Rahul’s injury issues have seen him in and out of the squad. This has left KS Bharat as the only reliable alternative in the side.