Rishabh Pant’s comeback journey to international cricket is about to come full circle, as he is on the brink of being selected for the Indian squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh. The formal announcement of the squad is expected to take place on Monday, September 9. Since making his return earlier this year following a 15-month hiatus due to a severe car accident in late 2022, the wicketkeeper-batter has already showcased his skills in shorter formats of the game – IPL, T20 Internationals, and One-Day Internationals. Now, he is poised to re-enter the realm of Test cricket.
Pant’s selection appears to be a virtual certainty. Nonetheless, whether he makes the playing XI for the first Test, which is slated to begin in Chennai on September 19, is a decision that lies with the team’s leadership, comprising skipper Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir. The 26-year-old will see competition from Dhruv Jurel, who has left a lasting impression in the series against England during Pant’s absence. However, the final decision on who gets to don the gloves in Chennai will not rest with the selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar, who will deliberate online on Monday to finalize the squad.
Since his reintegration into international cricket, Pant’s journey has been a mix of highs and lows, peppered with sporadically impressive performances in white-ball cricket. He participated in all matches of the T20 World Cup, a campaign that culminated in an Indian triumph, which seemingly solidified the selectors’ faith in him. Adding to his credentials, Pant played a significant knock of 61 in the Duleep Trophy against Team India A in Bengaluru, further cementing his claim for a spot in the Test team. Interestingly, his last appearance in a Test match was also against Bangladesh in December 2022, a match that took place just days before the car accident that threatened his career.
Besides Pant, few modifications are expected in the squad that played the last Test against England in Dharamsala earlier this year in March. Most of the batsmen, save for Rajat Patidar, are likely to retain their positions.
. The Indian bowling attack will be spearheaded by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with Akash Deep – who impressed by claiming nine wickets for India A against India B in the recently concluded Duleep Trophy – expected to be the third pace option. The status of Mukesh Kumar, another pacer from the Dharamsala Test, remains unclear at this juncture.
The spin attack is set to remain intact with the quartet of R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel all expected to feature. The primary question the selectors face pertains to the batting lineup. With stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli assured of their places, the selectors will have to choose an additional two or three batsmen to complete the 15-man squad. Devdutt Padikkal emerges as a strong candidate, having impressed with a solid 65 in Dharamsala. For other spots, it might come down to a selection tug-of-war between Sarfaraz Khan and KL Rahul, with the possibility of both making the cut. Sarfaraz played a commendable innings of 56 in Dharamsala, while KL Rahul was sidelined for a majority of the series due to injury.
Sarfaraz Khan’s younger brother, Musheer Khan, who delivered an exceptional knock of 181 under pressure in favorable conditions for India B in the Duleep Trophy, may have to wait for his opportunity to represent the senior team. The selectors are likely to field him in the India A squad before promoting him to the senior international team.
The cricketing action will immediately shift gears following the conclusion of the first Test on September 23 in Chennai, as the second Test is set to commence in Kanpur on September 27. The selected players will be expected to assemble in Chennai by September 12, which will coincide with the arrival of the new bowling coach, Morne Morkel, who is slated to join the team.
As the cricketing world awaits the official squad announcement, the return of Rishabh Pant stands as a testament to his resilience and determination to reclaim his place in the Indian Test team.