Rishabh Pant is back to the cricket field for the first time since sustaining a left foot fracture during India’s tour of England in July. He is leading the India A squad in the first of their two unnofficial Tests against South Africa A and is expected to return to the senior squad in India’s upcoming two-match Test series against South Africa.
In a video shared by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Pant detailed the process he went through to recover from the injury. Pant had suffered the fracture while batting during the fourth Test between India and England in Manchester in July. “First part of the process was healing. For the first six weeks, you have to heal the fracture and then you come to the CoE. The healing went well,” says Pant in the video.
“I started my rehab slowly. Went through a bit of physio work in the initial days. Then slowly moved towards working on my strength and from there started the second phase. Right now I am here with you, fully recovered, thanks to CoE for that.
“Being positive is really a mindset thing. During injury you tend to get demotivated. The energy levels are not great, you are frustrated. But if you can do small things that make you feel good, you have to do that also. Especially when you are injured.”
Pant is wearing the number 18 jersey, famously worn by Virat Kohli throughout his career, for this unnofficial Test, as opposed to his usual number 18. After keeping wickets throughout the first day of the match at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, Pant came out to bat during the India A innings after South Africa A were all out for 309. He scored 17 runs in 20 balls before falling to Okuhle Cele.
