New Delhi : Rishabh Pant rehab officially begins as India’s wicketkeeper-batter checks into the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru on Monday. He will start recovering from a fractured right foot sustained during the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford, Manchester, in July.
Pant finalized his travel plans to Bengaluru at the last moment. The medical team removed the cast from his right foot, and he now walks freely without any limp. Since returning from the United Kingdom, Pant consulted medical experts, including Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, Head of Centre for Sports Medicine at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital. Dr. Pardiwala had previously operated on Pant’s right knee after his life-threatening car accident in December 2022.
Pant fractured his foot during day one of the Old Trafford Test when he inside-edged a reverse sweep off Chris Woakes. The injury forced him to retire hurt at 37, but Pant returned to bat the next day wearing a moonboot and scored 54 crucial runs.
While Pant recovered, substitute wicketkeeper Dhruv Jurel performed the keeping duties. For the fifth Test at The Oval, India flew in N Jagadeesan as Pant’s replacement, although the team later included Jurel instead.
The CoE medical team will assess Pant’s foot on Tuesday and design a structured rehabilitation plan. The evaluation will determine Pant’s readiness for India’s upcoming West Indies Tests in Ahmedabad (October 2-6) and New Delhi (October 10-14).
Pant, India’s vice-captain in Tests, scored 479 runs in seven innings during the England series, averaging 68.42, including two centuries at Headingley. His presence remains crucial for India’s batting and wicketkeeping balance. If Pant cannot regain full fitness in time, Jurel and Jagadeesan will step in for the West Indies Tests.
Fans and cricket analysts eagerly await Pant’s recovery updates from the CoE, as his rehabilitation will directly impact India’s performance in the series. The team emphasizes a careful, intensive program to restore Pant to peak form.
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