Rishabh Pant set to be discharged after 2 weeks; could take 4-6 months to start playing - Reports 

Rishabh Pant is expected to be discharged from the hospital in two weeks' time after he underwent surgery to treat ligament injuries. The wicketkeeper-batter was airlifted to the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital from Dehradun as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCC) handled the course of treatment.

Pant was on the receiving end of a brutal car crash on December 30. He sustained serious injuries and was treated at the Max Hospital in Dehradun. In a hugely positive sign, the star cricketer provided his first update via social media after the car crash on Monday, January 16.

He revealed that his treatment was going well and expressed his gratitude to the people who saved his life on that fateful morning on the highway.

According to a report by the Times of India, all of the player's knee ligaments are damaged. While surgery has been conducted to repair the major ones, doctors are hopeful the rest will heal naturally. A BCCI source told the Times of India:

"All the ligaments were injured. The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is a cause of concern. The doctors said that MCL surgery was absolutely necessary. Now, his PCL will be assessed in two weeks. Hopefully, it will not need any further surgery. As of now, he essentially has undergone just one major surgery."

A major injury was performed to repair the injuries to his medial collateral ligament (MCL). Another minor injury was to mend the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

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"It could be four to six months before Pant can start playing" - Sources

The fact that Rishabh Pant was carrying a pre-existing knee niggle did not help his cause at all. He was due to report to the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru for knee strength training after being dropped from Team India's white-ball home season.

Doctors believe that his rehabilitation work could begin in two months' time should the recovery go as planned. The source added:

"The ligaments usually heal in four to six weeks. After that rehab and strengthening will begin. His return to play will be assessed in another two months. Pant realises that it will be a tough road. He will have to undergo counselling sessions too. It could be four to six months before he can start playing."

It is evident that Pant will not be a part of the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy as well as the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023. His participation in the 2023 Asia Cup and the crucial 2023 ODI World Cup depends on his recovery and several other factors.

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