Rishabh Pant has become more mature after his accident says Sunil Gavaskar, compares him with Hardik Pandya

Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar is impressed with wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant's remarkable comeback after a life-threatening road accident in December 2022. Sunil Gavaskar highlighted that Rishabh Pant has returned stronger and fitter despite multiple injuries suffered in the horrific accident.

Rishabh Pant underwent surgery followed by rigorous rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. The left-handed batter made a comeback to competitive cricket during the IPL 2024 season. Pant was the leading run-getter for the Delhi Capitals (DC), scoring 446 runs at a strike rate of 155.40.

The 26-year-old earned a spot in India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad. He is the leading run-getter for India in the ongoing ICC tournament. The southpaw has scored 116 runs in four matches at an average of 38.66 and a strike rate of 131.81. He has also excelled as a wicketkeeper, with ten dismissals to his name.

We Were All Praying For Him Just To Be OK - Sunil Gavaskar

Speaking on Star Sports after India's victory against Afghanistan in the Super Eight stage, Sunil Gavaskar described Rishabh Pant's recovery as a miraculous comeback. Gavaskar stated that Pant had lost quite a bit of weight and enhanced his fitness before returning to the field.

"It's a miracle, you know? I mean, we all were so concerned when we heard about the accident. We heard about the severity of the injuries and we were all praying for him just to be ok. But not only has he been ok, he's come back so strongly. He's lost a little bit of weight, which was probably needed and it looked at one stage that he was just maybe getting a little overweight. He's lost a lot of bit of weight and he's looking so good, so fit," Gavaskar said.

This Is The Maturity That Is So Important - Sunil Gavaskar

Sunil Gavaskar highlighted that Rishabh Pant has shown maturity and adaptability during the T20 World Cup. The former Indian captain stated that Pant has consistently provided quick contributions despite his new batting position at No. 3.

"This is the maturity that is so important. We've seen it with Hardik Pandya, we are seeing it in Rishabh Pant's cricket. The maturity of understanding conditions. Yes, batting-wise, he will still continue to play the game. That's exactly what you want because he's a naturally attacking player and he can upset the bowler totally. That's what he did. He didn't score too many runs. He got 20 in about 10 deliveries at a SR of 200 but that is exactly what you want at that stage," Gavaskar concluded.

Rishabh Pant scored a quickfire 20 runs off 11 balls in a critical phase when India were struggling at 11/1 against Afghanistan in the Super 8 stage. He set the stage for Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya to take over in the middle and end overs. The Men in Blue posted a formidable total of 181/8 in 20 overs.

The Rohit Sharma-led team will take on Bangladesh in their next match at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua, on Saturday, June 22. The Indian cricketers will be hoping to secure victory and boost their chances of reaching the semifinal stages of the tournament.

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