Explosive wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant is on his road to being fully recovered from the serious accident in December 2022 and is rearing to get back on the field in Indian colours. While many anticipate the southpaw to make his return in 2024, a former England skipper delved into how his return could hopefully be the best for India.
‘Pant a box office cricketer’
Hailing Pant as a ‘box office’, Nasser Hussain recalled how the world waited anxiously as the southpaw recovered from the nasty car crash. He revealed how Ricky Ponting monitored the batter’s recovery progress constantly.
“You follow on social media, on my phone and the initial first walking steps to then scenes in the gym and then scenes of him playing a bit of cricket, scenes of him with Ricky (Ponting).
“I travelled with Ricky in the summer in the Ashes, and Ricky was texting him ‘how’s the progress coming along’, and he is a box office cricketer.”
What about KL Rahul?
The former England skipper heaped praise on KL Rahul for filling in for Pant brilliantly across all three formats of the game. Hussain, however, backed the southpaw to takeover the gloves from KL on his return to the field from injury.
“They’ll continue to be brilliant. They’re lucky to have both of them, but Rishabh Pant, before his injury, was box office, and hopefully after his injury, will be box office as well,” Hussain added.