[Pictures] Rishabh Pant celebrates his sister’s birthday, shares adorable family photo

Team India wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant shared adorable pictures of him spending quality time with his family on his sister's birthday on Monday, September 25.

The wicketkeeper-batter shared an endearing snapshot with mother and sister on social media. The 25-year-old, who will also turn 26 on October 4, shared a picture on Instagram with family alongside heart and party popper emojis. In the photo, Pant could be seen wearing a grey T-shirt, black pants, a matching hat, and colorful socks.

Take a look at Rishabh Pant's latest Instagram post:

On the professional front, Pant has made significant progress in his rehabilitation during his stint at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru. Last month, the left-handed batter resumed batting practice in nets for the first time after surviving a horrific car accident in December last year. He is also undergoing strength and fitness drills.

In a statement on July 21, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) provided the latest fitness updates on Pant. The statement read:

“While Pant has made significant progress in his rehabilitation and has commenced batting as well as keeping in the nets. He is currently following a fitness program designed for him which includes strength, flexibility, and running.”

Rishabh Pant is likely to make his comeback during the five-match Test series against England at home next year in January (via Sports Today).

Team India will play their opening game against England in Hyderabad from January 25-29. The action will then shift to Vizag (February 2-6) and Rajkot (February 15-19). The final two Tests will be played in Ranchi (February 23-27) and Dharamsala (March 7-11), respectively.

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“He is a massive miss at the moment” – Former England captain on Rishabh Pant

Former England captain Nasser Hussain spoke about the significance of Rishabh Pant in India’s middle order, especially in Tests. He told the ICC:

"I was traveling with Ricky (Ponting) a lot during the Ashes, and he was texting Rishabh, and Rishabh was in the gym, and he was getting updates. He is a massive miss at the moment and hopefully, he will come back.”

India missed Pant in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final, which they lost to Australia by 209 runs at the Oval in London earlier this year.

The left-handed batter had a terrific record against the Aussies. He has scored 624 runs in seven Tests against them at an average of 62.40, including one ton and two half-centuries, with best score of 159*. The wicketkeeper-batter was among the big heroes behind the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series win in Australia in 2020-21.

Rishabh Pant also enjoys a good record against England, with 781 runs in 12 Tests, including three centuries and four half-centuries.