Fans are eagerly waiting for the commencement of the 17th edition of the India Premier League. The cash-rich T20 league is slated to begin in March and it will bring many breathtaking moments from the field of cricket. However, another thing for which everyone is waiting is the return of wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant. The Delhi Capitals skipper suffered severe injuries in a massive road accident in December 2022 and has been out of action, since then. However, he is set to return on field in the upcoming season of IPL.
Recently, Pant opened up about the horrific, near-death experience he had during the accident, which took place at the Delhi-Dehradun highway.
"First time in my life, I felt like my time in this world is up. During the accident, I was aware of the wounds, but I was lucky as it could have been even more serious. I was feeling that someone saved me," Pant said on Star Sports series 'Believe'.
"I asked the doctor how long will it take for me to recover, he said it would take 16-18 months. I knew I had to work hard to cut this recovery time," Pant added.
Earlier, former India pacer Zaheer Khan had stated that the selectors might think not include Pant for the T20 World Cup 2024 even if he performs well in the upcoming IPL season.
"If you see Rishabh Pant's journey, the turn he has gone through is not easy for any player. Firstly, everyone who is attached to cricket will be happy once he comes back on the field. He has a lot of hurdles to cross," Zaheer had told during a discussion on Colors Cineplex as quoted by Sportskeeda.
"Firstly, he has to come back and play. It's not easy at this level. You need to get used to it and get the rhythm back. Those things might take time. It's great if it doesn't. However, keeping all things in mind, even if he has a very good IPL, I don't think the team will be thinking in that direction," he added.