India star wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant has been nominated for the 2025 Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award. The nomination follows Pant's return to professional cricket after a serious car accident in December 2022.  Â
While driving to his hometown Roorkee, Pant went through a horrific car accident at the Delhi-Dehradun highway. He sustained multiple injuries in the accident, requiring surgery and extensive rehabilitation. His return to competitive play occurred in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 for Delhi Capitals (DC) against Punjab Kings (PBKS).
In his first international match after the injury, Pant smashed a Test century against Bangladesh. He also scored 42 runs against Pakistan in the T20 World Cup 2024 and was a part of the squad that won the tournament.
“I have always believed that the biggest virtue of life is to be grateful for everything God has blessed you with. Over the course of my life, I have focused on being positive and happy in every situation, trusting the power of self-belief and resilience to deal with every challenge. When I survived the near-fatal car crash, I realised that I had been fortunate to be a blessed soul, which inspired me to work extremely hard to undo everything and return to the pitch as a better version of myself with greater motivation. I knew that my return to normal life was only half the circle of my comeback, and I needed to complete the circle by being committed towards my dream of playing for India again. In 2024, I returned to play for the Indian Test team 629 days after the car crash, the year where we also won the ICC T20 World Cup,” Pant said as quoted on his nomination.
“My journey back to competitive cricket was incredibly challenging, so when the moment eventually arrived, the culmination of a long mental and physical battle was extremely fulfilling. It felt like a deeply personal moment, which was a victory of faith and rigorous routines. Being nominated for the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award is very special to me and an acknowledgement of the efforts of everyone involved in my comeback, right from my family, the BCCI, doctors, medical team, support staff, trainers and the fans. This Award is a symbol of inspiration and commitment, represented by some of the greatest stories in sports. Hence, it’s an honour for me to be nominated this year. I hope my story and those of the other nominated athletes can inspire sports fans and individuals across the world to never give up, have self-belief, and always be grateful and happy in life," he added.
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The Laureus nomination recognizes athletes who have overcome significant obstacles to return to sport. The ceremony will be held in Madrid, Spain, on April 21, where there will be a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the awards.
The Laureus Award winners will be chosen by 69 legendary sports figures, who will cast their votes. If Pant bags the honour, he will become the first cricketer to win the World Comeback of the Year award.
Sachin Tendulkar is the only Indian to have won a Laureus Award. He received the Sporting Moment Award in 2020 for India’s 2011 World Cup win after a public vote.
Meanwhile, Pant is in Dubai for the Champions Trophy 2025. He has not played a match so far and is unlikely to feature in the semi-final against Australia.
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