Melbourne. The Indian cricket team is preparing to play the Border Gavaskar Trophy for Australia. Team India’s wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is being considered as the X factor on this tour. This player, who is in top form, has spread panic in the Australian camp by showing explosive games in the last few series. When former India coach Ravi Shastri saw wicketkeeper batsman Rishabh Pant in the hospital after a horrific car accident. At that time he was unsure about his cricket future. He termed the wicketkeeper batsman’s recovery from injury as a ‘miracle’.
Rishabh Pant returned to red ball cricket in the Duleep Trophy after making a comeback in limited overs cricket in the last season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). Was part of the Indian team in the home test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Shastri told ‘news.com.au’, “To be honest, if you had seen him, you would not have expected him to play cricket again.”
The former India coach said, “I will never forget it.” He was in a very painful condition. A month after his injury, I went to see him in the hospital. He was badly hurt and had injury marks all over his body. He had a major operation and had stitches everywhere. Recovering from that condition and playing cricket is a miracle. To then go ahead and play in a World Cup winning team and be a part of the Test team is really a big and remarkable achievement.
The Indian team is in Australia for the five-match Border Gavaskar Series starting from November 22. Pant’s average in this country is 62. He played a brilliant role in the success of the team in the last two tours of Australia. Since returning from the road accident injury (Pant was injured in a car accident while returning from New Delhi to his hometown Roorkee in December 2022.) Pant has been in great form. Shastri said, “He has come to Australia in great form. He is a player who is feared in the Australian team. However, when he was in the hospital, there was very little possibility that he would be a part of the tour.
Shastri said, “Now when you talk to him, his respect for the game increases even more. Since his return he gives more importance to this game. I have seen him working very hard to get fitness for Test cricket.
Tags: Border Gavaskar Trophy, India vs Australia, Ravi Shastri, Rishabh Pant
FIRST PUBLISHED: November 16, 2024, 20:08 IST