• Home
  • Who Said What
  • Never Easy Gods Been Kind Rishabh Pant Gets Real About Rehab Journey After Injury

"Never easy, God's been kind": Rishabh Pant gets real about rehab journey after injury

Akshita Patel

Rishabh Pant opens up on comeback [Source: @BCCI/X.com]Rishabh Pant opens up on comeback [Source: @BCCI/X.com]

India’s vice-captain Rishabh Pant is all set to don the whites again as he returns to the Test arena against South Africa at Eden Gardens. For Pant, this comeback is about resilience, gratitude, and mental strength after another tough battle with injury. 

The 28-year-old wicketkeeper-batter had suffered a foot fracture during the fourth Test against England in Manchester back in July. 

After months of rehabilitation, Pant made his return through India A’s unofficial Tests against South Africa A in Bengaluru, where he showed promising signs of form and fitness. 

Rishabh Pant recalls tough journey after foot injury

Speaking in a video shared by the BCCI, Rishabh Pant expressed his relief and happiness at being back on the field. 

"After an injury, it is never easy to come back. But God has been kind always and he has blessed me always, and this time also, and very happy to be back. See, every time I take the field, one thing I try to be is to be grateful. That's why I always look up and thank God, my parents, my family, everyone has supported me (during the recovery phase)," Pant said.

Pant had earlier overcome life-threatening injuries from a car accident in 2022. He said his focus during recovery was to keep his mind calm and positive rather than getting anxious by public opinions or future uncertainties.

"One thing I do is to focus on controllables, luck is one thing that you cannot control. So, I try not to think about that, as there are so many factors that we don't factor in. But if you can keep your mind in a place where a lot of things are not affecting you, and you focus only on things that matter to you. You will find happiness if you keep on doing things that make you feel good, especially when you are injured," he added.

Pant shared that tough phases teach a lot about discipline and mindset.

"Just be in a zone where you feel comfortable, work hard, be disciplined, and be in a zone where you are ready to learn but still enjoying that time doing everything. Whatever you are doing you need to enjoy that moment, and give your 100% and find joy and happiness in that."

Rishabh Pant has been in great form this year, having scored 580 runs in 9 Test innings with a 64.44 average, two hundreds and four fifties.

Rishabh Pant had a decent outing for India A

Meanwhile, in the recent series between India A and South Africa A, Rishabh Pant had a strong comeback. In the first match, Pant scored a brilliant 90 off 113 balls (11 fours, 4 sixes) in the second inning to help India A clinch a 3-wicket win. 

Earlier in the same game, Pant made only 17 runs in one innings as he was working his way back from injury.

Then, in the second unofficial Test, Pant hammered 65 off 54 balls, but India A lost by 5 wickets.