When the Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant had arrived to watch his side Delhi Capitals play against Gujarat Titans a few days ago with a single-hand crutch, fans were happy and relieved to see his smiling face yet again, three months after his dreadful car accident.
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While the degree of human sufferings and tragedies cannot and shouldn’t be compared, the West Indian wicket-keeper batter – Nicholas Pooran, who also bats left-handed akin Pant, perhaps went through a similar experience as a 19-year-old.
While Pant’s right knee had to undergo as many as three surgeries, it was Pooran’s left knee which which was rendered damaged horrendously, along with a fractured right ankle.
Nicholas Pooran Car Accident
January 2015 – Pooran became victim of a road accident in St.Mary’s, Trinidad, while returning home after training at the National Cricket Centre at Balmain in Couva.
In a bid to avoid a car who was trying to overtake the other, Pooran was forced to pull away and resultantly his car hit a heap of sand. Soon when he came back on the road, another car ran right into him, rendering him severely injured and making him unconscious.
“My left patellar tendon had ruptured and I had a fractured right ankle. I couldn’t straighten my leg. At first, I didn’t really know what happened. I wasn’t too sure. People kept telling me, ‘Move your toes, move your toes!’ I knew I couldn’t move my knee, so I knew something’s definitely wrong,” remarked Pooran during an interaction with ESPNcrincifo after regaining consciousness in the hospital.
Totally bedridden for next six months
Pooran had to undergo a couple of surgeries – one to repair the left patellar tendon, and the other a week later, to repair his fractured right ankle.
While the surgeries were successful, it all depended on therapy to determine whether the 19-year-old could play again or not. Six months into the arduous therapy sessions each day, Pooran could finally walk without assistance.
By August 2015, Pooran began jogging again and a month later was back all padded up, holding his bat and into the nets for practice.
Pooran empathizes with Pant
During a recent interaction with ESPNcrincinfo, Pooran remarked how he has been chatting with Pant of-late and completely empathizes with his mental state at this point in time.
“It’s very challenging. It’s one where no one understands. I have been chatting with Rishabh obviously. Both of us have a really good relationship. But there’s times when you go into a place where you’re very depressed, and frustrated, because you want the healing process to happen so fast. But it’s difficult,” stated Pooran.
