Rishabh Pant shows off archery skills, hits bullseye in his first try - watch

Rishabh Pant seems to be making the most of his recovery time, both on and off the field. After months of rehabilitation following a foot fracture sustained during the England Test series earlier this year, the wicketkeeper-batter has shown steady progress and looks set for a return to competitive cricket later this month.

Pant is likely to feature for Delhi in the Ranji Trophy, with his right foot due for a final assessment by the BCCI’s medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE) in the coming week.

“As of now, there is a likelihood he could be cleared by Oct 10. An assessment is due this week. It has been a long recovery for him. The BCCI medical team doesn’t want to take any chances with him,” a BCCI source told TOI earlier.

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Pant, who missed the Test series against West Indies and the upcoming white-ball tour of Australia, had suffered a fractured metatarsal during the Manchester Test in July.

What was initially thought to be a six-week recovery stretched further after the injury worsened when he batted the next day. Over the past few weeks, however, Pant has been seen training regularly and gradually returning to full fitness.

Adding a lighter moment to his comeback journey, Pant surprised fans on social media by showing off a new skill, but far from the sport he's widely known for.


In a video posted on his official Instagram account, the 27-year-old was seen aiming at a target and hitting the bullseye on his very first attempt. He captioned the clip, “Not bad for the first try.”


What surprised fans even more was the fact that Pant confidently announced "bullseye" before he let the arrow leave his bow. Supporters were quick to react, impressed by his precision, as they hoped to see him back behind the stumps soon. Just a day earlier, Pant had shared a clip from his training session as he continued preparing for his comeback.

In the clip, Pant made a resounding claim about his recovery, as he said, "Got me in the corner there, but I came out with flying colours."

Watch his training video here

The high-intensity workouts and Pant's roaring claim gives fans hope that he will soon be 100% fit and ready to represent India.

According to a senior DDCA official, Pant has expressed his intent to play the Ranji Trophy matches in Delhi from October 25, subject to fitness clearance. “Pant has said he should be available for the Ranji Trophy matches in Delhi from Oct 25,” the official told TOI.

If cleared, Pant is expected to lead Delhi in the Ranji season before India’s home Test series against South Africa begins on November 14.