India’s World Cup-winning wicketkeeper, Rishabh Pant, has made a comeback to the Test squad after nearly 20 months, having been named for the upcoming series against Bangladesh. The aggressive wicketkeeper-batter will don the Indian whites once again after a significant hiatus.
Pant had been sidelined for the entire previous year due to a nearly fatal car accident. However, he made a remarkable return to competitive cricket last IPL season and played a pivotal role in India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign a few months ago.
Meanwhile, Pant seems to have carried the good form into the Duleep Trophy as well. His team India B triumphed over India A by 76 runs at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Pant, who had a modest first innings score of 7, turned the game around with a dynamic 61 off 47 balls in the second innings. His performance was complemented by impressive glovework, including two catches in the first innings and five in the second.
One catch, in particular, has gone viral on social media. During the second innings, India B pacer Navdeep Saini delivered a short ball down the leg side to Avesh Khan. The batter edged it, and Pant made a spectacular diving catch. Following the catch, Pant celebrated uniquely by throwing the ball into the air and giving a stare, presumably at the dismissed batter.
In the match, India A won the toss and chose to bowl first. They dismissed India B for 321, with Akash Deep taking four wickets. Musheer Khan scored a formidable 181, pushing India B to a substantial total. In reply, India A could only manage 231, with Navdeep Saini and Mukesh Choudhary each claiming three wickets.
India B batted again and scored 184, with Pant top-scoring. India A was then bowled out for 198, thanks to Yash Dayal's 3/50 and two wickets each from Mukesh and Navdeep. Musheer Khan was named Player of the Match and praised his preparation and performance.
Social media erupts with joy as Pant makes his comeback to the Indian team
Rishabh Pant has garnered millions of fans over the years with his aggressive batting style. He played a crucial role in leading India to a historic Test victory at the Gabba, Australia’s fortress, in 2021, a win supported by a brilliant innings from young opener Shubman Gill. This momentous triumph is regarded as one of the most iconic in the country’s rich cricketing history.
However, Pant's career faced a significant setback when he was involved in a severe accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway on the night of December 30, 2022. His car caught fire, and while he made a miraculous escape, his injuries were quite severe. The accident kept him out of action for an extended period, much to the disappointment of his fans. Despite this, Pant made a triumphant return to international cricket in the recently concluded T20 World Cup.
With his inclusion in India’s Test squad announced yesterday, Pant’s fans have taken to social media to express their joy and excitement.
Here are a couple of online reactions:
Published: 09 Sept 2024, 12:11 pm IST
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