The Indian star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant sustained a side strain (internal oblique muscle tear) in early January, about which he said he was still recovering at the BCCI CoE. Recently he spoke to the sidelines of the World Pickleball League, where he clarified that he is working hard in at the Centre of Excellence and is aiming to come back to the field anytime soon.

 

Notably, Rishabh Pant is the co-owner of the franchise Mumbai Pickle Power in the league, along with Swiggy. He had attended the match against Rajasthan Titans at the Jio World Garden in Mumbai to cheer for the team. Speaking about his recovery, Rishabh said,

 

"My fitness is getting better day by day. I am working hard at the Centre of Excellence, and I think I`m going to be out (on the field) soon."

 

He further credited his love for the game for keeping him moving in his injury phase. 

 

"When I am injured, one thing that always keeps me close to the game is the love for the game and the support from the people around you. As a cricketer, you always have to keep adding to your game. I need to keep looking to get better in each and every aspect of my overall gameplay."

 

Read also: Suryakumar Confirms Ishan Kishan as T20 WC 2026 Opener

 

Rishabh Pant's philosophy towards life

 

Rishabh Pant often speaks about gratitude, especially after he came back from the life-threatening road accident. He had attended the Aap Ki Adalat session where he spoke about how it taught him to stop overthinking and planning every detail of life. He now believes in letting life unfold and trusting the journey, noting that "life's plans are often greater than we can imagine."

 

After the side strain, he echoed the same voice, adding his love for the game. He said,

 

"Every comeback has taught me something about life. It has taught me more gratitude, how you see things around you, and wanting to be committed to something that really makes you happy. When I am injured, the thing I miss the most is really enjoying the game. You love the game so much, but you also enjoy it while playing it at the top level. That`s something I miss truly."

 

What happened to Rishabh Pant?

 

On January 10, 2026, the Roorkee-born Rishabh Pant got hit above the waist by a throwdown specialist during a practice session at Vadodara. He suffered a right-sided internal oblique muscle tear, for which he was sidelined from contention for the New Zealand series.

 

Before the injury, he led Delhi in the 2025-26 Vijaya Hazare Trophy and had even smacked two centuries. He had to skip the Ranji Trophy second half due to the injury, passing the leadership to young Ayush Badoni.