MSK Prasad's emotional statement on Rishabh Pant’s accident: “It feels like something has happened to my own son”

Former chief of the national selection committee MSK Prasad has expressed sadness over keeper-batter Rishabh Pant’s car accident last month. He stated that he feels like something has happened to his own son.

Pant was involved in a horrific car crash in the early hours of December 30 when he was traveling from Roorkee to New Delhi, sustaining multiple injuries. On Monday, January 16, the 25-year-old issued his first statement since the accident. He revealed that he had a successful surgery, which marks his road to recovery.

As per some news reports, the dynamic keeper-batter from Delhi is likely to be out of cricketing action for most of 2023. Sharing his emotions about Pant being involved in a terrifying accident, Prasad opened up to rediff.com and said:

"I feel very sad for Rishabh Pant, it feels like something has happened to my own son. It feels painful because we have seen his transition from Under-19 to the international level.

“We have seen him grow in front of our eyes, and seeing that horrific accident is not only painful for him and his family but also for all those people who have supported him and who have been with him.”

Pant last turned out for India during the Test series in Bangladesh in December, just a few days before his accident. He was not picked in the white-ball squads for the home series against Sri Lanka.

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“Have absolutely no doubt that Bharat will make his Test debut against Australia” - Prasad on Pant’s replacement

In Pant’s absence, India have picked Ishan Kishan in the Test squad for the first two matches against Australia.

While KS Bharat has been the backup keeper in the Test team for a while now, some experts reckon that Kishan should make the playing XI as a like-for-like replacement for Pant. Prasad, however, does not feel that way and opined:

"With regards to his replacement, it is very obvious that in white ball cricket it will be Ishan Kishan and in red ball cricket it will be K S Bharat. Bharat has always been groomed for the Test format and he has been doing very well for the last three years. He has done exceptionally well whenever he got a chance for India 'A'.

"I have absolutely no doubt that Bharat will make his Test debut against Australia next month.”

The first India-Australia Test will begin at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur on February 9.