Renowned Mumbai-based orthopaedic surgeon, Dr. Dinshaw Pardiwala, who supervised Rishabh Pant’s recovery following his near-fatal car crash in December 2022, has shared his thoughts on the cricketer’s somersault celebrations.
While acknowledging Pant’s athleticism and precision, Dr. Pardiwala remarked that the acrobatic move may be “perfected” but is ultimately “unnecessary.”
Pant’s accident occurred while he was driving to his hometown, Roorkee. His car collided with a divider and flipped over before catching fire. He sustained several injuries, including significant damage to the ligaments in his right knee.
After initial treatment in Dehradun, he was airlifted to Mumbai, where Dr. Pardiwala led his surgeries at the Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Andheri West.
The road to recovery kept the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter away from the game for over a year. After undergoing extensive rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy, Pant returned to competitive cricket in IPL 2024, captaining the Delhi Capitals.
His comeback picked up steam as he found form, culminating in two sensational centuries against England at Headingley. With those knocks, Pant became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score two centuries in a single Test and celebrated one of them with a somersault – a move he also performed in IPL 2025 while playing for Lucknow Super Giants.
“Rishabh trained as a gymnast – and so although he looks large, he is quite agile, and he does have a lot of flexibility,” Dr. Pardiwala told The Telegraph. “And that’s why he’s been doing those somersaults of late. It’s a well-practised and perfected move – unnecessary though!” he added.
Reflecting on Pant’s miraculous survival and personal transformation, Dr. Pardiwala noted, “He recognises the fact that he was extremely lucky to be alive. He’s so motivated as a cricketer. If you knew the Rishabh before this happened, he’s a much more mature human being. He’s very philosophical now. He appreciates life and everything that goes around it. That typically happens to anyone who’s faced death in the face. Someone who’s had a near-death experience often gets life into perspective.”
“Rishabh Pant was extremely lucky to be alive – extremely lucky. To be in an accident like this, where the car actually overturns and blows up, the risk of death is extremely high,” he emphasized.
Though his return in IPL 2024 started off on a subdued note, Pant quickly found rhythm, and his twin tons against England reignited discussions of his place among India’s greatest Test wicketkeepers. With his form trending upward, India will be counting on him to deliver consistent, match-winning performances in the months ahead.