Pant's recovery was a miracle, never thought he would play again: Shastri

Former India coach Ravi Shastri was uncertain about the cricketing future of Rishabh Pant when he visited him at the hospital a few days after that horrific car accident, and termed the wicketkeeper batter's recovery a "miracle."  Pant made a comeback to white ball cricket during the IPL before returning to red-ball cricket through the Duleep Trophy and he was also part of India's recent home Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand.

"Honestly, if you had seen him you would not have given him a hope in hell to play cricket again," Shastri was quoted as saying by news.com.au.

"I will never forget it. He was in terrible shape. I went to see him in hospital a month after he was injured. He was battered and bruised, scarred all over.

"He had a massive operation and had stitches all over the place. From there to simply recover and play cricket was a miracle. To then go on and play in a World Cup-winning team and be a part of the Test team is a truly remarkable achievement," he added.

Pant averaged 62 on his two tours of Australia and has been in incredible form since his return to the game.

"He returns to Australia for this tour in form and a man Australia fears, an unthinkable prospect when he was bailed up in hospital unable to walk," Shastri said.

"When you speak to him now the respect he has for the game is even more. He was nowhere.

"Suddenly he is back and he values that. But I have seen him work really, really hard over the past few months to get in to the shape he is to play Test cricket."  Pant had a horrific car accident in December 2022 while returning to his home town Roorkee from New Delhi.

If not for some good Samaritans and his own presence of mind which prompted him to break the windshield of his car, the accident could have turned fatal for him.

"First time in my life I had that feeling of letting it go. I felt my time in this world was over," Pant had told Star Sports.

"When my accident happened I felt something spiritual saved me. I can't even imagine how much worse it could have been. Doctors even spoke to me about amputation."  Pant was later airlifted to Mumbai where he underwent reconstruction in three knee ligaments.

"I asked the doctor how long it would take for me to recover. He said it would take 16 to 18 months," Pant said.

"I told the doctor that whatever timeline he gave me, I would reduce six months from it.