‘Ee to saala hona hi tha’ – Fans react as reports of Rishabh Pant missing 2023 World Cup emerge

India Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant was involved in a major car accident in December 2022 and is missing from cricketing action since then. Pant has to undergo a ligament surgery which went successful and he is in recovery mode. However, according to a report by Cricbuzz, his recovery period is likely to be extended which also means that he would not feature in the Indian squad for the ODI World Cup that is scheduled to take in India later in the year.

However, it looks like the 25-year-old is recovering well and was recently seen at the Arun Jaitley Stadium to show support to his IPL team Delhi Captials in a match against Gujarat Titans. According to reports, he may recover soon but it could take him seven to eight months to be fit to be back in cricketing action. Also, it is more likely that it would take him a lot more time to o become ready for the rigors of wicketkeeping and the initial comeback period will have to be solely as a batter.

‘Will provide him with all the support he needs’ – Indian Cricket Board

Indian Cricket Board is trying its best to extend all possible medical assistance, while Pant is also showing full courage to recover soon.

“(It) will make every effort to aid and expedite the recovery process of Rishabh and will provide him with all the support he needs during this period,” Indian Cricket Board said in a statement earlier.

After receiving initial treatment for burns and other injuries at the Max Hospital in Dehradun, the Indian Cricket Board shifted Pant to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in Mumbai.

Pant last played for India in the Test series Bangladesh in December 2022 and will be dearly missed by the team as they take part in two major International tournaments in 2023 namely the Test Championship Final in June and the ODI World Cup in October-November which will be hosted by India. The exact time of his return will only get clear once he goes to the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru for rehab.