'I also miss playing cricket' - Rishabh Pant's emotional tweet as India gears up for WTC 2023 final against Australia

Rishabh Pant, Team India (Source: Twitter)

India will lock horns against Australia in the second edition of the Test Championship final from June 7 to 11 at The Oval, London. Team India will be without the services of some key players, including Rishabh Pant, who was instrumental in India's Test victories in the last two-year cycle of the WTC (2021-23). While Indian players are sweating it out in the nets, Pant wrote an emotional tweet expressing his desire to get back on the field.

The star wicketkeeper batter has been out of cricket action since December last year after a horrific car accident when he was on his way to Roorkee to pay a surprise visit to his mother. Pant had suffered many injuries, but given the severity of the accident, he will always be grateful to god for his life. He required surgery to repair the ligament tear in his right knee, and thankfully he is recovering well.

The 25-year-old underwent rehabilitation at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) under the guidance of doctors and physicians from the Indian Cricket Board. The Delhi Capitals skipper has missed the entire 2023 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and is set to miss India's upcoming major tournaments like the Test Championship Final and Asia Cup 2023, and is likely to miss the ODI World Cup as well.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, June 4, Pant penned a short but emotional tweet in the comment section of a post shared by Wisden India that included images of him playing Test cricket, with a caption, "Rishabh Pant, we miss you. Sincerely, every cricket lover across the world". The left-handed batter replied: “I am also missing playing cricket.”

Check out the tweet below: 

Rishabh Pant, we miss you. ♥️

Sincerely, every cricket lover across the world. pic.twitter.com/SBSU82TsUH

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) June 3, 2023

Who will take Pant's role in WTC final? Bharat or Kishan?

Rohit Sharma-led India will take on Pat Cummins and Co as both teams aim for a maiden WTC title. India will also miss the services of Jasprit Bumrah, Shreyas Iyer and KL Rahul. The Indian Cricket Board has announced KS Bharath as Pant's replacement for wicket-keeping, while Ishan Kishan has found a place in the squad following Rahul's injury.

However, it is unknown who would stand behind the stumps, but given that Bharat was a part of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in 2023, he is likely to receive the edge over Kishan.

Meanwhile, Australia has also suffered a huge blow ahead of the final. Their star pacer Josh Hazlewood has been ruled out on Sunday due to a persistent Achilles Heel injury. All-rounder Michael Neser was named as a replacement for the one-off Test against India. However, he is unlikely to be chosen ahead of Scott Boland.