The Indian Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant has opened up on his car accident while speaking in the media.
Rishabh Pant Opens on his Car Accident
Rishabh Pant met with a car accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway and got multiple injuries. He received initial treatment in Dehradun and was airlifted to Mumbai for better and more specialized treatment.
Pant missed the IPL 2023 season, the World Test Championship finals, and the ODI World Cup 2023 which is hosted by India. Fans are hoping to see his action in India’s squad for the Upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2024 in June.
He is currently in his rehabilitation and opened up on his car accident. He said that it was a life-threatening car crash which he referred to as the “time in this world was over.”
Having been “fortunate to have a second life. First time in my life I had that feeling of letting it go. I felt my time in this world was over,” said Pant during an interview on August 24, 2023.
“It was the first time I had such a feeling in life. At the time of the accident, I was aware of the wounds, but I was lucky as it could have been even more serious.”
After undergoing initial treatment at a hospital in Dehradun, Pant was airlifted to Mumbai where he was under the care of the BCCI’s specialist consultant.
He underwent reconstruction of all three ligaments in his right knee. Pant did his rehabilitation in NCA in Bengaluru.
“I am focusing on recovery cut off from the world,” he said. “It helps me in recovering fast, especially when the injury is so serious. For recovery, you have to do the same thing every day. It’s boring, it’s irritating, it’s frustrating, but you have to do it.
“Till the time I start playing cricket, I don’t want to plan much for the future. I asked the doctor how long will it take for me to recover.”
“I told him that everybody is speaking different things, but you will give me the most clarity about it. He said it would take 16 to 18 months. I told the doctor that whatever timeline you give me, I will reduce six months from it.”
Pant said he was alive because of Rajat Kumar and Nishu Kumar, who pulled Pant out of his SUV before the car was fully covered in fire. In a social media post last January, Pant said he was “forever grateful and indebted” to them.
“There was someone around so I asked if he could help getting the leg back in the position. He helped the knee get back in place.”
He realized how lucky he escaped from the accident without losing his leg. “If there was any nerve damage, there was a possibility of amputation. That is when I felt scared. I had taken an SUV, but what I was seeing was a sedan,” he concluded.
Rishabh Pant is expected to return for his franchise Delhi Capitals to play in the IPL 2024.
