![\"'Frustrated,](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-124999667,imgsize-60810,width-400,resizemode-4\/1280720-photos-2025-10-31t220742965.jpg\" "\\"Rishabh")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nIndia wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant<\/a> marked his return to competitive cricket as captain of the India A side in the first four-day match against South Africa A, which began on Thursday at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru. Pant, who had been sidelined with a foot fracture sustained during the England Test in June, described the recovery process as one of the most demanding phases of his career.\u201cI feel it was really challenging for me from the start because you know, I had that fracture in England and had to go through that whole process,\u201d Pant said, speaking about his rehabilitation. He explained that the recovery was divided into stages, beginning with healing before moving to rehabilitation work at the CoE. \u201cThe first part of the process was healing. For the first six weeks you\u2019re gonna heal the fracture first and then you have to come to CoE. That was the plan for the initial phase and that\u2019s what I did and the healing went on nicely,\u201d Pant said.Watch his recovery here<\/a> The 28-year-old credited the physios and staff at the CoE for guiding him through the rehabilitation. \u201cI started my rehab slowly, went through a little bit of physio work in the initial 10\u201315 days, slowly getting back to doing my strength, a little bit of rehab and it all started from there as a second phase for me and right now I\u2019m here with you fully recovered thanks to CoE for that,\u201d he added. Reflecting on the emotional challenges during recovery, Pant said staying positive was crucial. \u201cBeing positive is really a mindset thing. During injury you tend to get demotivated, the energy levels are not great, you are frustrated. But if you can do small small things that make you feel good, you have to do that part also especially when you are injured,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Poll<\/p>\n Do you believe Rishabh Pant will lead India A to victory in the first four-day match?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n He lauded the mindset of the coaching staff, saying, “When you talk to them you can feel that warmth that, yes, you’re going through a tough time, you’re doing that rehab but you can still come out of it with flying colours.”Pant also praised the Centre of Excellence as one of the best places for both recovery and training. \u201cYou\u2019ll find one of the best practice facilities also, it\u2019s not just a rehab place. You have three big grounds, you have like 50 wickets for practice, you get center wicket practice. If a person wants to practice here I think this is one of the best places,\u201d Pant said. The wicketkeeper-batter will lead India A in both four-day games, with Sai Sudharsan serving as his deputy in the first match.In the first match, the skipper scored 20 runs from 17 balls before losing his wicket to Okuhle Cele. Team India A were bundled out for 234 and currently trail by 105 runs.<\/div>\n