Indian coach Rahul Dravid’s emotional message for Rishabh Pant is currently breaking the internet. In a video message released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on social media, Rahul Dravid along with his national teammates can be seen wishing Rishabh Pant a speedy recovery. Hardik PandyaSuryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill.
“Rishabh, I hope you are doing well. Hope you get well soon. Over the past year I have had the privilege of watching you play some of the greatest innings in Indian Test history. Whenever we are in difficult situations, you have become a character to get us out of very difficult situations. It’s such a challenge, I know you’ll come back as you have done so many times this year. Looking forward to coming back soon my friend,” Rahul Dravid said in the video.
On the other hand, India’s newly appointed T20I captain Hardik Pandya also shared a special message for ‘warrior’ Rishabh Pant.
“Hi Rishabh, just wanted to wish you a speedy recovery. I know you’ve been a fighter and things aren’t going your way, life is life. You will break all the doors and come back as you always do. My love and wishes are with you. The whole team and the nation are behind you,” said Hardik Pandya.
As Rahul Dravid and members of the Indian cricket team became emotional over Rishabh Pant’s plight, netizens took to Twitter to praise them for their motivational messages for the southpaw.
“Great gestures of encouragement from teammates. Would definitely encourage Rishabh and give him great strength and resilience to reunite with the team and play the explosive innings synonymous with Rishabh,” wrote a fan on the microblogging platform.
“Rishabh is a fighter and will bounce back from this soon. Get well soon Spidey Rishabh Pant. Yes, your name will be changed from Spiderman to Superman after recovery,” added another.
The left-hander met with a horrific accident on December 30 in Uttarakhand’s Roorkee district while on his way to visit his mother. According to witnesses, Rishabh Pant crashed his car into the road divider. He miraculously escaped life-threatening injuries even though his Mercedes Benz caught fire.
The goalkeeper striker will be sidelined for the first six months of 2023 following the incident. Multiple media reports suggest that the left-handed explosive will surely miss the crucial four-match Test series against Australia in February-March. Furthermore, it is reported that he will not compete for the 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Just a week ago, he led India to a 2-0 whitewash over Bangladesh in a Test series in the neighboring country. In the process, Rishabh Pant joined a select group of Indian wicketkeepers, including former captain MS Dhoni, to complete 4,000 runs in international cricket.
Earlier this week, Rishabh Pant was shifted from the ICU to a special room due to concerns about contracting the COVID-19 infection.
“For fear of infection, we told his family and hospital authorities to move him to a private room. He is doing better and will recover soon,” Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) director Shyam Sharma told reporters on Monday.
Although the cricketer is no longer in the intensive care unit and is out of danger, the extent of his injuries, particularly to his knee, ankle and toe, is not yet known as he has not been able to undergo an MRI scan. Before that, he had plastic surgery on his forehead.
Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant’s fatal crash drew a sharp reaction from 1983 World Cup-winning skipper Kapil Dev.
Kapil Dev, who is known for his harsh judgments, criticized the cricketer’s decision to drive the car himself, which crashed on the Delhi Dehradun highway on Friday morning.
According to Kapil Dev, Rishabh Pant could easily get a chauffeur to drive his car and he should hire someone immediately to avoid such incidents in future.
Kapil Dev also urged Rishabh Pant to curb his excitable tendencies, which he claims are quite normal for a man of his age. For those who don’t know, Rishabh Pant is 25.
“It’s a learning. I had a motorcycle accident when I was still an up and coming cricketer. From that day my brother did not even allow me to touch the motorcycle. I thank God that Rishabh Pant is safe,” Kapil Dev said in an interaction with ABP News.
“Yes, you have a good-looking, high-speed car, but you have to be careful. You can easily get a driver, you don’t have to drive it alone. I understand that a person has a hobby or even a passion for such things, it is natural at his age, but you also have a responsibility. You can only take care of yourself. You have to decide yourself,” added Kapil Dev.