Rishabh Pant's punishing diet: How Indian cricketer lost 16 kgs to get in top shape for T20 World Cup

Rishabh Pant's return to the Indian side was never in doubt given his superb form in the 2024 IPL season but it is always important to go back to the depths he came out from following his horrific accident sixteen months ago.

Today, the 26-year-old stands tall with the rest of his Team India mates but from rigorous diets to switched off gadgets and unending training, a lot more than meets the eye has been pumped into sculpting Pant back to form.

As per a Times of India report, Pant has lost a total of 16 KGs in the run up to the IPL in March, and now is 9 kilograms lighter than December 2022, when his accident occurred.

But this weight loss did not come easy. The southpaw moved into a rented home in Bengaluru as he trained with the NCA to be able to avail home-cooked food.

His favourite delicacies rasmalai, biryani and fried chicken were cut off from his diet as he adopted a calorie-deficit approach towards eating.

A BCCI source, involved with his rehabilitation revealed to TOI, 'He adopted a calorie-deficit diet since late December (2023). If his body demanded 1400 calories a day, he was given around 1000 calories. It was tough on him since he had to train very hard to gain match-fitness and had to strengthen the muscles on his injured right leg.'

But the love for cricket could not triumph his love for 'chilly chicken'.

The source revealed to TOI, 'He was allowed only 5 ml of extra virgin olive oil. He couldn’t give up his love for chilly chicken. So, a recipe was derived to make it with that much oil.'

And as the team at the NCA came up with creative alternatives to nurse Pant back to his zenith, return to the sport demanded more sacrifices.

A strict sleep schedule meant all gadgets would be shut off and it would be lights-out by 11 PM, enabling the prolific batter to get his 8-9 hours of rest before training again next day.

Closer to his comeback, a fit-again Rishabh Pant eventually took up batting two and a half hours everyday. He then resumed keeping as IPL drew closer, a 45-minute session per day.

In 2024 season, the Delhi skipper has led from the front, scoring 398 runs, including a personal best of 88* at a strike-rate of 158.57.