5 cricketers who fought near-death accidents to make iconic returns

What even is a sport if not the platform that stages the greatest comeback stories? Some comebacks are of a player fighting against his form. Others script a fall from glory, followed by a roaring performance that dashes long-standing doubts. However, some comebacks are written literally from a point of no return. There have been many cases in the history of cricket where a player has suffered through a life-altering accident, on or off the field. But it is from these horrific accidents that the game of cricket has produced brilliant stories, boasting of the heroes who turned their lives and the game around after that one incident. Here's a look at those heroes of cricket.

1. Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant, the risk-taking, flamboyant Indian wicketkeeper-batsman, brought the nation to a halt when news broke of the player being involved in a car accident. The hero of the historic Gabba Breach was traveling to his hometown when his car hit the divider in the wee hours of December 30, 2022. Luckily for Pant, some people helped the cricketer out of the car and saved his life. The near-fatal crash left serious injuries on Pant's back and limbs.

Recently, Pant's doctor at the time revealed that the cricketer's first question following his surgery was whether he would ever be able to play again. However, not only did Pant play again, he took the field by storm. In an almost miraculous timeline, taking just a little over a year to recover, Pant was back on the field in IPL 2024 before going on to win the historic 2024 T20 World Cup with Team India in Barbados. Currently, Pant is back doing his spidey antics in the red-ball format, arguably Pant's best format in the game. The 27-year-old broke records in the first India vs England Test as he smashed centuries in both innings of the Test at Headingley.

2. Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi

Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, one of India’s most iconic cricketing figures, suffered a life-altering accident in 1961 at just 20 years of age. A head-on collision left him with a severely injured right eye, resulting in permanent vision loss. Despite the setback, Pataudi didn’t step away from the sport. Instead, he displayed remarkable resilience and went on to captain the Indian national team, eventually playing in 46 Test matches.

3. Karun Nair

Karun Nair, known for his historic triple century in Test cricket, had a brush with death in 2016 while vacationing in Kerala. During a boat ride en route to a temple, the vessel capsized. Nair had to swim to safety before being rescued by locals. Tragically, the accident claimed multiple lives. Karun Nair, however, returned to professional cricket and went on to represent teams in the Indian Premier League. Moreover, the Vidarbha batter recently earned his much awaited call in the Indian Test team for the India vs England Test series.

4. Mohammed Shami

In March 2018, Indian pacer Mohammed Shami was involved in a serious car crash while travelling from Dehradun to New Delhi. He sustained head injuries in the incident but made a strong recovery. Shami returned to international cricket with renewed vigor, and to date, he has represented India in over 60 Tests, 80+ ODIs, and nearly 100 T20Is, taking close to 400 international wickets.

5. Nicholas Pooran

West Indies cricketer Nicholas Pooran also faced a devastating accident early in his career. In January 2015, at the age of 19, he was involved in a road mishap in Trinidad that required two surgeries on his left leg to repair injuries to his ankle and knee. Despite the trauma, Pooran worked his way back to fitness and eventually secured a spot in the national side. Today, he captains the West Indies in ODIs and T20Is and has featured in over 120 international matches.