Ricky Ponting, former Australian cricket captain, praised Rishabh Pant after his incredible return to Test cricket for the first time since the horrific car accident. Ponting, who has worked closely with Pant during their time together at Delhi Capitals, shared his admiration for Pant’s resilience and determination.
Pant not only overcame severe physical injuries but also proved his strength as a cricketer, returning stronger than ever. Ponting believes that Pant’s mindset and talent sets him apart from the rest, which makes him a true winner on the field.
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What did Ricky Ponting say about Rishabh Pant’s return to Test cricket?
Ponting spoke highly of Pant’s character, calling him an “infectious” presence in any cricket team. He said that Pant’s energy and passion for the game positively impact those around him.
Speaking on the Sky Sports Cricket podcast with former England cricketers and pundits, Michael Atherton and Nasser Hussain, the Australian had a lot of praise for the young wicketkeeper-batter.
“You’ve seen him play. You’ve heard him in the stump mic – he is an infectious character. He loves his cricket; he is a winner, who doesn’t play just to make a few runs and be out there for the fun,”
Ponting was deeply touched and impressed by Pant’s relatively quick recovery after the accident, which had many doubting whether he could play cricket again.
“It is a remarkable comeback, honestly. If you can even see his leg now and when you listen to the stories that he tells about what he was confronted with when he woke up after his car went 40 meters up the road, at 200km an hour,” Ponting said.
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Pant was involved in a serious car accident that left him with severe injuries. Pant, however, remained determined to return to the field, telling Ponting that he would be ready for the IPL.
“I mean to even think about the mental scar that comes about and then the physical side of it, the rehab that he went through. I didn’t think he’d play last season’s IPL. That is why I was on the phone to him you know – but he said ‘don’t worry about me, I’ll guarantee you that I will be ready for the IPL,'” he added.
True to his word, Pant made a successful return, not just in the IPL, but in Test cricket as well.
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How does MS Dhoni’s Test cricket record compare to that of Rishabh Pant?
In comparing Pant’s record to MS Dhoni’s, Ponting highlighted Pant’s incredible achievements.
“I mean, he [Pant] must have at least four or five Test hundreds already and he’s got about nine nineties as well. [MS] Dhoni played for about 120 Tests and got only 3-4 hundreds. That’s how good Pant is, he is a serious cricketer,” Ponting concluded.
While Ponting was not accurate with his data, his point largely stays valid as Pant has scored almost the same number of centuries in Tests as Dhoni, while featuring in less than half the matches.
Let’s take a look at records of both the wicket-keeper batsmen in Test cricket.
| Player | Matches | Innings | Runs | Average | 50s | 100s |
| MS Dhoni | 90 | 144 | 4876 | 38.09 | 33 | 6 |
| Rishabh Pant | 33 | 56 | 2271 | 43.67 | 11 | 5 |
*Numbers as of September 11, 2024
Rishabh Pant’s journey from a near-fatal accident to excelling once again in Test cricket remains nothing short of inspirational for both the fans and cricketers alike.
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