Star wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's return to international cricket has been inspirational. After a horrific car accident in December 2022 that left him with serious injuries, doctors predicted an 18-month recovery time. But Pant defied expectations, making a comeback in just 14 months with the IPL 2024 season. This return is nothing short of remarkable considering the severity of his injuries, which included damage to key ligaments in his knee. Pant's determination and fighting spirit were on display throughout his rehabilitation. Upon his return, Pant didn't miss a beat. He had a strong showing in IPL 2024, scoring 446 runs, his third-highest IPL season in terms of runs. He has also carried this form into the T20 World Cup, playing a crucial knock against Pakistan in the group stage.
Sunil Gavaskar on Rishabh Pant's comeback
Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has commended Pant's impressive comeback, noting that he appears fitter than before the accident.
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"It's a miracle, you know? I mean, we all were so concerned when we heard about the accident. We heard about the severity of the injuries and we were all praying for him just to be ok. But not only has he been ok, he's come back so strongly. He's lost a little bit of weight, which was probably needed and it looked at one stage that he was just maybe getting a little overweight. He's lost a lot of bit of weight and he's looking so good, so fit," Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports.
Pant's impressive work behind the stumps hasn't gone unnoticed either. Sunil Gavaskar specifically highlighted Pant's glovework against Afghanistan. In that match, Pant took three crucial catches, dismissing Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Gulbadin Naib, and Naveen ul Haq. This brought his total dismissals in the tournament to a record-breaking 10. This achievement makes him the most successful wicketkeeper in a single edition of the T20 World Cup, surpassing legends like AB de Villiers, Adam Gilchrist, and Kumar Sangakkara, who all had nine dismissals in a single tournament.
"Look at his mobility. Those two catches that he took, he was. He ran about 20-30 yards. I know the ball was up in the air, but there was Rohit Sharma there, one of the safest pairs of hands in the game. But wicketkeeper's gloves are always much safer than ordinary hands, you know, plain hands. So he was there and again recognising the situation," Gavaskar added.
Sunil Gavaskar commented on Pant's batting, praising his newfound maturity in this T20 World Cup. He noted this as a positive development, similar to the maturity shown by Hardik Pandya.
"This is the maturity that is so important. We've seen it with Hardik Pandya, we are seeing it in Rishabh Pant's cricket. The maturity of understanding conditions. Yes, batting wise, he will still continue to play the game. That's exactly what you want because he's a naturally attacking player and he can upset the bowler totally. That's what he did. He didn't score too many runs. He got 20 in about 10 deliveries at a SR of 200 but that is exactly what you want at that stage," Gavaskar concluded.
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