Mumbai, Jan 16 (PTI) Premier India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant, who survived a horrific car crash on December 30, on Monday said he is on the road to recovery after undergoing three successful surgeries.

Pant survived a car crash on NH-58 when he was driving from Delhi to Rourkee. He was first admitted in a hospital in Dehradun and then shifted to Mumbai, where he had three surgeries — two on knee and one on ankle. He is expected to be out for one year.

“I am humbled and grateful for all the support and good wishes. I am glad to let you know that my surgery was a success. The road to recovery has begun and I am ready for the challenges ahead. Thank you to the BCCI, Jay Shah, and government authorities for their incredible support,” Pant posted on his official Twitter handle.

It was his first statement since the accident.

He added: “From the bottom of my heart, I also would like to thank all my fans, teammates, doctors, and the physios for your kind words and encouragement. Looking forward to seeing you all on the field.” Pant, who was unconscious for a few minutes before few locals rushed him to a nearby hospital, also thanked two young men — Rajat and Nishu — for their timely help.

“I may not have been able to thank everyone individually, but I must acknowledge these two heroes who helped me during my accident and ensured I got to the hospital safely. Rajat Kumar & Nishu Kumar, Thank you. I’ll be forever grateful and indebted.” The 25-year-old had injuries to his ligament muscles and was airlifted from Dehradun. He was later operated by Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, one of the BCCI’s empanelled surgeons.

Pant is already ruled out of the IPL, and it is learnt that he would be out for most part of the year, including the ODI World Cup in India in October-November.

The wicketkeeper-batter last played in the two-Test series in Bangladesh in December and was rested for the white-ball home series against Sri Lanka.

Source: PTI News