Nasser Hussain predicts massive 2024 for returning 'box-office' cricketer Rishabh Pant

Star India keeper-batter Rishabh Pant will return to competitive cricket in 2024, more than a year after suffering a horrific road accident aroundNew Year’s Eve in 2022. Pant underwent several surgeries and countless therapies to get over an almost life-taking accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway, with his car crashing into roadside dividers and catching fire later on.

Former England captain Nasser Hussain shared his thoughts on Pant’s return, saying a box-office cricketer like him will hog all the limelight similarly upon his much-awaited comeback on the cricket field.

Since undergoing the knife on both knees, Pant continues to recover at home and the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. With his IPL team, Delhi Capitals, announcing earlier that Pant will return to lead the side in the 17th season starting on March 22, all eyeballs will be on the left-handed batter who emerged as one of the modern-day greats in his category.

"That was such a serious accident. The whole world held its breath, and it has been a slow recovery," Hussain was quoted as saying by the ICC.

"You follow on social media, on my phone and the initial first walking steps to then scenes in the gym and then scenes of him playing a bit of cricket, scenes of him with Ricky (Ponting).

Nasser added during the home Ashes, he saw Ponting (DC’s head coach) texting Pant, asking about his well-being.

"I travelled with Ricky in the summer in the Ashes, and Ricky was texting him 'how's the progress coming along', and he is a box office cricketer,” Hussain added.

Rahul did well in Pant’s absence

Rishabh Pant’s injury saw him missing major cricketing events in 2023, with the home Australia Tests, IPL, the World Test Championship final and the 50-over World Cup.

Though India tried a few options in his absence, with most of them also clicking on most days, KL Rahul filling that void was a blessing for the Indian Team.

"India have done well without him (Pant) as KL has come in and been brilliant in all formats," Hussain noted.

"They'll continue to be brilliant. They're lucky to have both of them, but Rishabh Pant, before his injury, was box office, and hopefully, after his injury, will be box office as well,” KL added.

Meanwhile, KL Rahul has also taken up wicketkeeping duties in South Africa, with KS Bharat in the squad as a backup option.