Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant’s comeback to professional cricket is nothing short of miraculous. In December 2022, the star wicketkeeper-batsman was involved in a horrific car accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway. On his way to visit his family in Dehradun, Pant’s speeding vehicle crashed into a divider and caught fire, putting his life at serious risk.
Thanks to the quick actions of two bystanders who broke the car windows to pull him out, Pant was rescued from the burning vehicle and rushed to the hospital in a critical condition. The extent of his injuries made it one of the most severe accidents in recent memory involving an Indian athlete.
Surgeon Reveals Extent of Pant’s Life-Threatening Injuries
Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, the surgeon who treated Pant, later revealed the terrifying details of the crash. He told The Telegraph that the severity of the accident posed an extremely high risk of death.
“To be in an accident like this, where the car actually overturns and blows up, the risk of death is extremely high,” Dr. Pardiwala explained. He further elaborated on the severity of Pant’s knee injuries, which included a dislocation and multiple torn ligaments. These types of injuries are especially dangerous due to the risk of damaging the main blood vessel supplying the leg.
“If the blood vessel gets injured, you typically have about four to six hours to restore the blood supply. Otherwise, there’s a risk of losing your limb,” said the surgeon. Fortunately, Pant’s blood vessels remained intact — a stroke of sheer luck given the high-velocity impact of the crash.
Focused on Cricket Despite Critical Condition
Despite the immense pain and trauma, Pant’s first concern after regaining consciousness wasn’t about his injuries — it was about cricket. According to Dr. Pardiwala, the first question Pant asked was whether he would be able to play again.
This mindset highlighted Pant’s dedication to the sport and his mental resilience. His fighting spirit played a major role in his recovery, which doctors had initially expected to take much longer.
Against all odds, Rishabh Pant made a remarkable comeback to competitive cricket during the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) season, much earlier than many had predicted. His return brought immense joy to fans and was a moment of triumph not just for Pant, but for Indian cricket as a whole.
