Pant’s Homecoming: Consultation with Mumbai Specialist

Rishabh Pant has returned to India and is set to proceed to the Center of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru for his rehabilitation. The wicketkeeper-batter suffered a fractured right foot during the fourth Test against England in Manchester on July 23. Recently, he has been consulting specialists regarding his injury.

Although the assessments are still being finalized, Pant, aged 27 and recognized as one of the finest batters across formats, aims to make his comeback in the upcoming home series against the West Indies in October. If not, he is considering targeting the white-ball series against Australia in October-November as the next opportunity.

Pant spent recent days in Mumbai consulting with medical professionals after arriving from England. He underwent an evaluation to monitor the recovery of his injured foot, which remains bandaged. Doctors in Mumbai have provided him with a timeline for commencing his rehabilitation at the CoE.

Pant sustained a foot injury from a Chris Woakes delivery on the opening day of the Manchester (fourth) Test of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy, forcing him to retire in pain while batting at 37. Remarkably, he returned the next day with his foot fully strapped, contributing valuable runs and completing his half-century (54) as the team’s vice-captain.

Unfortunately, the injury caused him to miss the fifth and final Test at the Oval, which India won, leveling the series. After the series concluded, Pant remained in England for a short period before recently returning to India. Since his injury, he has been sharing recovery updates with fans on his social media accounts.

In one of his recent posts, Pant shared: “One thing I’ve realized is that no matter how much pain you’ve endured before, getting hurt again feels just as painful. But as your threshold increases, you understand the process of pushing yourself. Staying positive is essential, self-motivation goes a long way. Trust yourself and stay on the path you want to take because what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Considering the challenges Pant has faced both career-wise and personally, his introspective view is understandable. In 2022, he narrowly escaped a life-threatening accident, enduring a significant knee injury that kept him out of action for over a year. Even before his recent setback, he had sustained a finger injury in the third Test at Lord’s, hindering his wicketkeeping duties.