Rishabh Pant Visits Badrinath Temple on His 25th Birthday

India’s wicketkeeper-batsman, Rishabh Pant, continues to make remarkable progress in his recovery journey after a serious car accident in December last year. The 25-year-old cricketer, who hails from Roorkee, was recently spotted at the revered Badrinath shrine in Uttarakhand. Interestingly, Pant’s birthday is approaching on October 4, and he decided to visit this sacred temple to seek blessings as he gets ready for his special day.

Since the accident, Pant has been diligently undergoing rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. A few weeks ago, he was even spotted refining his batting skills, showing promising signs of improvement. His absence has been deeply felt by the Indian cricket team, with Pant missing out on significant events like the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final in 2023, IPL 2023, World Cup 2023, and the entire cricket calendar in 2023.

Pant’s last appearance for India was against Bangladesh in December 2022, where he amassed an impressive total of 148 runs from three innings, boasting an average of 49.33 and a strike rate of 91.35, which included one half-century.

Following the series, he made his way back to his hometown, Roorkee, to usher in the New Year with his family. Regrettably, during the journey, he encountered a terrifying car accident, triggered by fatigue-induced drowsiness. The vehicle was even engulfed in flames, but Pant managed to evade harm’s way thanks to the timely assistance of local residents who rushed to his aid.

The wicketkeeper-batsman is anticipated to undergo an extended recovery period before resuming his duties with the Indian cricket team. To reinforce the team’s wicketkeeping resources during his absence, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan have been included in India’s 2023 World Cup squad. Furthermore, there have been suggestions from Ishant Sharma, the prominent Indian pacer, that Pant might even skip IPL 2024.

“I believe Rishabh Pant’s return for the upcoming IPL remains uncertain due to the severity of his injury. Recovering from a significant accident is a complex process, and resuming activities like batting, wicketkeeping, and running require a gradual approach, which may not be easy for a cricketer,” Ishant remarked during an interview with Jio Cinema.