The 27-year-old made a remarkable recovery and returned to action for his then IPL franchise Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings last year in Mullanpur
Rishabh Pant (Pic: AFP)
Indian cricket team's swashbuckling batter-keeper, Rishabh Pant, who returned to action after surviving a horrific car accident in December 2022, has been nominated for the prestigious Laureus World Sports Award 2025 in the comeback of the year category.
ADVERTISEMENT
The awards ceremony will take place in Madrid on April 21.
Pant suffered the near-fatal car accident on December 30, 2022 while driving from Delhi to his hometown Roorkee.
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.
Once the surgeries to reconstruct all three ligaments in his right knee were performed, Pant did his rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
The 27-year-old made a remarkable recovery and returned to action for his then IPL franchise Delhi Capitals against Punjab Kings last year in Mullanpur.
Pant then made a triumphant return to Test cricket, scoring a century against Bangladesh in his first game in the format since his car accident. His performance helped India secure a 280-run victory.
Speaking on his accident back in 2022 on 'Dhawan Karenge' show, Pant recently opened up about his experiences of how the injuries were critical for his cricketing career ahead.
While opening up on his post-injury experience, Pant shared, "Self-belief and self-confidence are very important while recovering from an injury because there are people saying all sorts of things around you, and you, as an individual, have to think about what's good for you. The accident was a life-changing experience for me. When I got up after it, I was not even sure if I would be alive, but God was very kind to save me. I could not even brush my teeth for two months, and for six to seven months, I suffered with unbearable pain. I could not go to the airport because I was nervous about facing people in a wheelchair."
He further added, "Now that I am making a comeback in cricket, more than feeling pressure, I am excited. I feel this is kind of a second life, so I am excited but also nervous."
Speaking about his cricket journey, Pant shared an incident of his mom getting angry with him. His father gifted him a cricket bat worth Rs. 14,000 when he was in fifth grade, that was the moment when his mom got 'super angry' with his father.
"It was my father's dream to become a cricketer, and I am glad I could fulfil it. I decided I wanted to be a cricketer when I was in the 5th grade. My dad gifted me a bat worth Rs 14,000, and my mom got super angry," he said.
(With agency inputs)
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
