What happened the last time Rishabh Pant played a Test match and how did he perform?
Team India's wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is all set to make a return to Test cricket during the upcoming two-match series against Bangladesh. The southpaw has been named in the Indian squad for the first Test to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai from Thursday, September 19.
While Dhruv Jurel, who made an impressive Test debut against England, has also been retained, Pant is likely to get the nod ahead of him in the playing XI. If all goes to plan, the Delhi cricketer will feature in a Test match for the first time since December 2022. Just a few days after the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur ended, Pant was involved in a horrific car accident.
Following the accident in which he suffered multiple injuries, the 26-year-old went through an extensive rehabilitation process. The dashing left-handed batter returned to international cricket during India's victorious 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. He was also part of the Men in Blue's white-ball squads in Sri Lanka and is now ready to reclaim his place in the Test team.
Rishabh Pant made a crucial contribution the last time he played a Test match
As mentioned earlier, Pant's last Test before his car accident was against Bangladesh in Mirpur in December 2022. This was the second match of the two-match Test series, which India won 2-0. Bangladesh batted first in the Test and were bowled out for 227 in 73.5 overs. Pacer Umesh Yadav and off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin claimed four scalps each.
Behind the wickets, Pant took three catches to dismiss Mominul Haque (84), Mushfiqur Rahim (26), and Mehidy Hasan Miraz (15). The southpaw then top-scored in India's first innings as the visitors replied with 314. Pant slammed a typically aggressive 93 off 104 balls with the aid of seven fours and five sixes. He added 159 for the fifth wicket with Shreyas Iyer (87 off 105).
Bangladesh were held to 231 in their second innings in 70.2 overs. Axar Patel claimed 3-68, while Mohammed Siraj and Ashwin picked up two scalps each. Pant again took the catch to dismiss Haque (5). He also stumped Nurul Hasan (31) off Axar's bowling.
Set to chase 145, India crumbled to 74-4 inside 30 overs. Pant perished for nine off 19, trapped lbw by Mehidy Hasan Miraz. However, Shreyas (29* off 46) and Ashwin (42* off 62) guided India to a nervous three-wicket win, adding an unbroken 71-run for the eighth wicket.