Pant back where he belongs

A harsh sun beating down on him, Rishabh Pant was engrossed preparing for his first Test in two years, taking down net bowlers in that unmistakably way.

From a horrific car accident to getting back to the cricket field at the highest level is nothing less than extraordinary.

Pant’s 34th Test appearance comes 632 days after his previous — coincidentally also against Bangladesh in 2022. On the eve of the first Test, head coach Gautam Gambhir underlined the value Pant brings to the table.

“We all know how destructive he can be as a batter and what he can do in Test cricket. Obviously, it gives him the freedom to go out there and express himself. He has got runs everywhere around the world. It is always good to have someone like him who can open the game for us and more importantly can bring a lot of impact as well,” Gambhir said.

Pant made his return to international cricket through the white-ball formats and was a part of India’s T20 World Cup winning squad. Pant showed his readiness for the grind of red-ball cricket while playing for India B in the Duleep Trophy.

After a nervy 10-ball seven in the first innings against India A, Pant showcased his full range with a 47-ball 61 that contained nine fours and two sixes.

The 26-year-old also aced the wicketkeeping test with flying colours, taking seven catches in that match. “He has been excellent behind the stumps as well. Probably his batting overshadows his keeping many times. But see what he has done in Indian conditions… it is never easy to keep against people like (Ravichandran) Ashwin, (Ravindra) Jadeja and Kuldeep (Yadav). Obviously, he brings a lot of good things to the Test side,” Gambhir said.