Rishabh Pant to miss IPL after car crash, confirms Sourav Ganguly

On 7 January, Pant, who miraculously survived a horrific car accident last week, has successfully undergone a knee surgery at a Mumbai hospital, BCCI sources had told PTI. 

“Rishabh Pant has successfully undergone a knee ligament surgery on Friday. He will be under observation. Further course of action and rehabilitation will be advised by Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala and followed by the BCCI sports science and medicine team,” a BCCI source had told PTI. The surgery took place at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital in Andheri West under the supervision of Dr Pardiwala, the head of the Centre for Sports Medicine and director of Arthroscopy & Shoulder Service.

The India star suffered multiple injuries when he crashed his Mercedes SUV north of New Delhi before dawn on December 30. The car burst into flames and he was rescued by a bus driver and conductor.

Pant is captain of the Delhi Capitals side in the annual two-month tournament, which is due to begin in late March or April with some of the biggest international stars of the game. After the accident, the 25-year-old was rushed to hospital and admitted for a few days before being airlifted to Mumbai for further treatment and surgery.

“Rishabh Pant will not be available for the IPL,” Ganguly was quoted saying by broadcaster Sports Today. “It will be a great IPL (for the team), we will do well but Rishabh Pant’s injury will affect the Delhi Capitals,” Ganguly said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, earlier sources had informed that Ganguly is all set to join Delhi Capitals as the Director of Cricket during the upcoming edition of the IPL starting in April. He will also oversee all the cricket verticals of the franchise along with the ILT20 team Dubai Capitals and the SA T230 league side Pretoria Capitals.

The Indian cricket board said that Pant suffered several injuries including a damaged ligament in his right knee, a hurt wrist and ankle, and abrasions on his back.

A wicketkeeper and flamboyant batter, Pant is a mainstay of the Test squad and has played a key role in some of India’s most memorable wins in the last three years.

But his white-ball form has been indifferent in the last few months and, days before the crash, he was left out of the squads for the ongoing one-day internationals and T20s against Sri Lanka.

Pant is also expected to miss Australia’s upcoming tour of India in February and March, when the arch-rivals will play four Tests.

(With inputs from AFP)