With the intense sun blazing down on him, Rishabh Pant was deep in concentration getting ready for his first Test match in two years, destroying net bowlers in that distinctively Pant-like manner.
It’s nothing short of amazing to go from being flung about 40 meters into the air off of a collapsed car to returning to the highest level of cricket.
It was difficult to accept that 632 days had gone since Pant had participated in a Test match; ironically, he had also played a five-day encounter against Bangladesh in 2022.
Now, he will face the same opponents when he returns to Test cricket on Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. Although there have been some deserving competitors in the interim, the overall cricketing scene is still pretty much the same.
With a tough performance in front of and behind the stumps during the home series against England earlier this year, Dhruv Jurel has pleased everyone.
No one could have criticized the team management for sticking with Jurel during this game, but head coach Gautam Gambhir highlighted Pant’s contributions.
“Everyone is aware of his devastating potential when hitting and his abilities in Test cricket. It obviously grants him the liberty to freely express himself in public. He has been running all over the world.
In the pre-match press conference, Gambhir stated, “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.”
Pant has, of course, returned to the white ball versions of cricket and was a member of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup, but the abilities and duration of concentration required for long-format contests are very different.
Pant played for India B in the most recent Duleep Trophy encounter in Bengaluru, demonstrating his readiness for the rigors of red-ball cricket.
Pant showed off his entire repertoire with a 47-ball 61 against India A, which featured nine fours and two sixes, following a somewhat nervous 10-ball seven in the opening innings.
During that knock, he fell, shuffled across, and went deep into crease, but the management should have been more interested to watch how he handled the challenge.
Pant took seven catches in the test, five of which came in the second innings alone, and he crushed it.
The 26-year-old was in the ideal spot when the spinners worked because he swooped around behind the stumps to latch on to catches far down the leg side, a classic indication of a wicket-keeper’s anticipation and agility.
Jurel represented India A, however it was evident from a cursory examination by the NCA physios that the game served more as a trial for Pant before his return to Test cricket.
Gambhir discussed Pant’s function as a wicketkeeper in detail.
“He’s been outstanding not just while batting but also when fielding behind the stumps. Most likely, his batting frequently overshadows his keeping.
However, have a look at what he accomplished under Indian conditions.Fighting against individuals such as Ashwin, Jadeja, and Kuldeep is never simple. Thus, he has accomplished something truly amazing behind the stumps.
“It goes without saying that he benefits the Test side much. Not just from a batting perspective, but also from a keeping perspective,” explained Gambhir.
Above all, Pant’s mindset offers a unique perspective on the entire game of cricket. An insight was provided by Ricky Ponting, Pant’s Delhi Capitals coworker.
He spreads his infectious personality around the group. He like playing cricket. He’s triumphant. Ponting recently told Sky Sports, “He doesn’t just play to make a few runs and be out there for the fun of it.”
