India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant recently opened up on his horrific car accident on January 1 last year in which he very nearly lost his life.
Pant's Mercedes SUV went up in flames instantly after crashing at a high speed on the Delhi-Dehradun highway while he was going home for the New Year's.
Locals around the crash site pulled the star cricketer out of the burning vehicle and put him on the side of the road.
The 26-year-old suffered serious burns, apart from other injuries, and was rushed to the Max Hospital in Dehradun where he underwent a couple of surgeries before being airlifted to Mumbai's Kokilaben Ambani hospital.
Rishabh reveals what went through his mind after accident
Recalling the traumatic night of the crash, Pant said his first thought was that his time in this world is over but later he realised that he was lucky to be alive.
“First time aisa tha life mein, ho gaya time ab iss world mein. Itna bada ho sakta tha, ye cheej aapko bhi nahi pata tha. Itna accident hone ke baad bhi, I was alive.
"Something has saved me. Doctor bola yaar ki 16 to 18 months lagenge.
"Second life har kisi ko toh milti nahi hai (first time in my life, I felt like my time in this world was up. I was lucky, as it could have been even more serious. Despite the crash, I was alive. Something has saved me. The doctor said it would take 16–18 months. I am fortunate to have a second life),” Pant said in a promo video shared by Star Sports on social media.
On the road to recovery and much-awaited comeback
Pant has been recovering faster than expected and is likely to make his return to professional cricket during this year's Indian Premier League where he will be back as the captain of the Delhi Capitals franchise.
He has missed major tournaments like the IPL 2023, Asia Cup 2023, ICC World Cup 2023 and the Test series in South Africa and the one going on against England.
But the batter remains positive and is leaving no stone unturned to quickly return to action on the cricket field.
