Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has expressed his gratitude to two witnesses who took him to hospital following a road accident late last year.
Rajat Kumar and Nishu Kumar rushed the 25-year-old to hospital after being in nasty car accident on December 30 in which he underwent surgery on January 7 to reconstruct two knee ligaments.
He is expected to undergo a third round of surgery after six weeks.
In a lengthy tweet released by Pant and shared by ESPN Cricinfo, he thanked the BCCI for their ongoing support, teammates and everyone.
"I am humbled and grateful for all the support and good wishes," Pant began.
"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.
"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.
"From the bottom of my heart, I also would like to thank all my fans, team-mates, doctors and the physics for your kind words and encouragement. Looking forward to see you all on the field."
Whilst Pant begins his recovery, his exact return to cricket remains unclear. According to ESPN Cricinfo, the 25-year-old is set to miss the majority of the cricketing calendar, which includes four-test series at home against Australia, the Indian Premier League, and the ICC 50 Over World Cup.
