The miraculous survival and recovery of Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant following a horrific car accident in December 2022 has been an inspiring saga. The crash, which occurred while Pant was driving from Delhi to his hometown of Roorkee, left him with severe injuries after his car collided with a divider and caught fire. He was fortunate to be pulled from the wreckage by bystanders.
Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, the renowned orthopedic surgeon who treated Pant at a Mumbai hospital, recently revealed the cricketer's first question upon regaining consciousness: "Will I be able to play again?". This immediate concern underscored Pant's unwavering dedication to cricket, even in the face of life-threatening injuries. His mother, however, had a more immediate concern, asking Dr. Pardiwala, "Is he ever going to be able to walk again?".
Dr. Pardiwala described the extensive damage Pant sustained, including a dislocated right knee, an injured right ankle, and significant skin loss from his neck down to his knees. The skin was scraped off his back from broken glass as he exited the vehicle. The severity of the knee dislocation raised concerns about potential nerve or blood vessel damage, which could have led to amputation. Fortunately, Pant was "extremely lucky" that his blood vessels remained intact, averting the risk of losing his leg. Dr. Pardiwala noted that in such high-velocity knee dislocations, there is a narrow four-to-six-hour window to restore blood supply to the limb to avoid amputation.
Given the extent of the injuries, Dr. Pardiwala offered Pant a step-by-step approach to recovery. He told Pant that surviving the accident and keeping his limbs were two miracles already. He then cautiously offered hope of a return to cricket, calling it a potential "third miracle". While Pant was keen on setting timelines for his return to the field, the initial focus was on the surgery. Dr. Pardiwala aimed to manage Pant's expectations, initially suggesting it would take roughly 18 months to return to competitive cricket.
Pant's determination impressed his medical team throughout his 635-day recovery. He pushed himself harder than normal, with his sole focus being to "get back to normalcy as fast as possible". Although he had previously focused more on his cricket skills, after the accident, Pant dedicated himself to his fitness and recovery. For weeks, he couldn't perform basic tasks such as brushing his teeth or holding a glass due to swelling and skin loss, and he needed crutches for four months.
Reflecting on the accident, Dr. Pardiwala emphasized how fortunate Pant was to survive, especially considering the car overturned and caught fire. He also humorously mentioned Pant's penchant for performing somersaults, attributing it to his background as a gymnast. While acknowledging Pant's agility and flexibility, Dr. Pardiwala lightheartedly called the somersaults "unnecessary". Notably, Pant himself said he could do a somersault even if woken up in the middle of the night. Pant celebrated his century with somersaults, which reflected his recovery from the accident.
