'Whole world held its breath': Ex-England captain reveals how he discovered Rishabh Pant's accident

Rishabh Pant escaped a terrifying car accident exactly one year ago while traveling to Uttarakhand to surprise his family with a New Year's celebration. Due to injuries he received in the accident, Pant has been sidelined from competitive cricket for the past 12 months. However, he is currently on the road to recovery and could return in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season.

3 things you need to know 

• Rishabh Pant is expected to play for India in the T20 World Cup 2024
• He will most likely make his return during the IPL 2024 season
• Pant was seen at Delhi Capitals' auction table in Dubai this month

Also Read: 'Why is Kohli not captain? Rohit has not proven himself outside India. Why is he there': Ex-IND star

Nasser Hussain on how he got to know about Rishabh Pant's accident

Former England captain Nasser Hussain expressed hope for India's star player, wishing for a successful return in the upcoming year. Speaking to the ICC, Hussain acknowledged the seriousness of the accident and the slow recovery process, closely monitoring Pant's progress through social media updates and communication with figures like Ricky Ponting.

“That was such a serious accident. The whole world held its breath and it has been a slow recovery. You follow on social media, on my phone and the initial first walking steps to then scenes in the gym and then scenes of him playing a bit of cricket, scenes of him with Ricky (Ponting). I travelled with Ricky in the summer in the Ashes, and Ricky was texting him ‘how’s the progress coming along’, and he is a box office cricketer,” Hussain added.

Rishabh Pant was involved in a horrific car crash while travelling to Uttarakhand from Delhi on New Year's Eve. Pant was travelling alone in his Mercedes car when he hit the divider on the highway. His car caught fire and Pant had to break the windshield to exit the vehicle. He underwent surgery in Dehradun and was later shifted to Mumbai for further treatment.