‘Hopeful of ‘box office’ Pant’s successful return in 2024′

NEW DELHI: After recovering from a near-fatal vehicle accident a year ago, “box office” cricketer Rishabh Pant is expected to make a successful comeback in 2024, according to former England captain Nasser Hussain.
Pant was in a terrible car accident on a tragic December night in 2022. Since then, the wicketkeeper batter has advanced significantly, and it is expected that he will play cricket again before the T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies.
“That was such a serious accident. The whole world held its breath and it has been a slow recovery,” Hussain was quoted as saying by the ICC.
“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.”
KL Rahul, who took over for Pant during his absence, performed admirably at the most recent ODI World Cup, amassing 452 runs at an average of 75.33.
“India have done well without him (Pant) as KL has come in and been brilliant in all formats,” Hussain noted.
“They’ll continue to be brilliant. They’re lucky to have both of them, but Rishabh Pant, before his injury, was box office, and hopefully after his injury, will be box office as well.”
Additionally, Hussain targeted young opener Shubman Gill to improve in Test cricket.
“He (Gill) had a very good three quarters, or nine tenths of 2023. You must have learned so much having the likes of Rohit Sharma at the other end,” Hussain said.
“He just fell away maybe at the end. Maybe that illness, you know, just got to him a little bit, and he’s formed just in a month. We take it far too short when we’re in the broadcasting world.
“He’s a super talent, and he’s going to be the next sensation for India for years to come. So, hopefully, he’ll have a good 2024.”
(With PTI inputs)