I will be back soon: Pant

India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant on Wednesday said that he is recovering well after his injury and is hopeful of returning to competitive cricket at the earliest. Speaking on the sidelines of the World Pickleball League, Pant said he has been working hard at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. “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,” Pant said. The 28-year-old stressed on the importance of staying connected to the sport during long periods of recovery and rehabilitation following an injury. He said his passion for cricket and the support system around him helped him through recovery phases. “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,” he said. Pant also emphasised on the need for continuous improvement as a professional cricketer. “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,” he said. Reflecting on multiple comebacks in his career, Pant said time away from the field has helped him develop a different outlook towards both cricket and life. However, he admitted that the absence of top-level competition remains the hardest part of being sidelined. Pant has been out of the Indian team since January 10, when he sustained a right-sided internal oblique muscle tear (side strain) after being struck above the waist by a ball from a throwdown specialist during a practice session in Vadodara. @@@