Rishabh Pant Returns after 632 Days - It Was Test Cricket Who Missed Pant, Not The Other Way Round | Opinion

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This is going to be the mother of all comebacks, Rishabh Pant returning to Test cricket after a 630-day gap. As the Chepauk in Chennai has turned into a veritable cauldron with high humidity and heat, the setting is ideal for India to take on Bangladesh in the first Test.

Agreed, the side from across the border comes to India high on confidence after defeating Pakistan. But if one takes a close look at the kind of rubbish cricket Pakistan have been playing and the politics back home, losing to Bangladesh is more of an ego blow.

Back to India vs Bangladesh, to have Test cricket again and the full array of stars in the side with a new coach in command, red-ball cricket will again be pleasing to watch. Yet, if you think Bangladesh are going to bother India, that will be bizarre.

Pant will be the focus, he will be the cynosure, for many reasons. And with coach Gautam Gambhir even saying he could even be an option as an opener, it tells you a lot about the confidence that Pant brings in. Also Read: Rishabh Pant Keeps Legacy Alive

For someone who met with a scary car accident in December 2022 and people thought he would never play cricket again for India, the Delhi man's comeback has been against all odds. Those who can recall images of Pant in the hospital post-knee surgery, him needing a walker as support and then hitting the straps again, it is all about resilience.

When Pant came back for the 2024 IPL season, all fired up for Delhi Capitals, there were still doubts. That he played as well as anyone else and then boarded the flight with the Indian team for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024 was a beautiful sight. To recall what Pant did as a winning member of the team in terms of stats would be banal.

Pant Makes Red-Ball Cricket Return With Duldeep Trophy

For all those who cared to watch a bit of Duleep Trophy cricket in recent times, it was good to see most of the players in action, Pant included. Since the time the BCCI made it clear nobody should miss first-class cricket, especially the Ranji Trophy, it is good that the Duleep Trophy offered a few pointers. Pant was there in a banter with Kuldeep Yadav. Anyone who missed that video would do well to see it again since it captures Pant the prankster. But nobody minds it.

The job of a wicket-keeper is as much about glove work and offering tips to his captain and bowlers plus needling the rival batters. Pant does it with relish, and how he engaged with Kuldeep Yadav reflected his happy self. Also Read: IND vs BAN 1st Test Live Streaming: When, where, and how to watch live?

Against Bangladesh, Pant will be important as he will 'keep' against the fast bowlers and one of the most potent spin attacks in the world. Anyone who has read about the practice sessions and throw-downs will talk about Pant wanting to be in the thick of the action.

His batting has always been audacious and fans will want to see it. Pant loves challenges and will not lose sleep if he is going to be offered a new role, even as an opener. On his day, even in red-ball cricket, he can be devastating. Lest one forget, for a man who has smashed five Test hundreds, his batting is all about being unconventional.

And for all those who want to see Pant the 'keeper' in action, he is sharp. The best would be, if he can needle the Bangladesh batters, well within permissible limits. If the Aussies had mastered sledging, Pant knows how to keep chatting and distract the batters. It would not be an exaggeration to state, that it was not Pant who missed cricket, Test cricket also missed Rishabh Pant.