All eyes were on Rishabh Pant as he stepped up to bat with India B in a precarious position at 22/3. The largest crowd to date gathered in Bengaluru for the Duleep Trophy encounter, creating a festive atmosphere eagerly awaiting some star power. The match had already featured some high-quality cricket, especially on the third day, but the crowd was disappointed earlier when KL Rahul was bowled out after a laborious 111-ball 37. As Pant walked in, the second session had been dominated by the bowlers, with five wickets falling in a flurry. Khaleel Ahmed and Akash Deep were threatening with the new ball, but the batting had its moments of flair as well.
Dhruv Jurel, one of Pant’s main competitors for a spot in the Indian Test team, had managed only 2 runs. Jurel had taken a lone catch in the first innings with a spectacular dive in front of first slip, adding five more catches in the second innings. Pant’s wicket-keeping had largely flown under the radar, although he was tested by some inconsistent bowling that forced him into a number of diving saves. He had taken a catch down the leg side but his batting in the first innings was unremarkable. In a nervy 10-ball stint, he played aggressively but was dismissed in an ungainly fashion while trying to counter Akash Deep’s disciplined bowling.
Chief India selector Ajit Agarkar, present at the ground alongside panel member Shiv Sundar Das, had reasons to be unimpressed by Pant’s first innings. So when he walked in for the second time late into the second session, he was met by Khaleel and Avesh Khan, who crowded around him. Even as the two bowlers exchanged smiles and words, Pant approached the crease in silence.
In the first 13 deliveries he faced, Pant didn’t play a single unwarranted shot, yet managed a couple of boundaries—a dab to third man and a punch through the offside—to get going. He scored 10 off five balls and went into Tea unbeaten. Post the break, he continued in the same vein, being watchful but capitalizing on any bowling errors. A switch seemed to flip after Akash Deep once passed his defense.
. Pant unleashed a reverse lap that narrowly missed Jurel and KL Rahul at first slip. Despite sticking to a nagging line and length, Akash was punished with another slog by Pant, who looked in dismay when he top-edged the ball. Jurel tried to catch it but misjudged it, failing to even lay a hand on the ball. Another top-edge off a miscued pull flew dangerously close to Jurel.
With luck on his side, Pant finally made his first significant impact on his return to red-ball cricket. He tackled Kuldeep Yadav’s spin with typical flair, cutting and driving to bring up his 20th First Class fifty off just 37 balls. The last time Pant played a First Class match was a Test against Bangladesh in December 2022, where his quickfire 93 was crucial to India’s victory. Mere days after that game, Pant’s life was upended by a car accident, sidelining him from competitive cricket until earlier this year. He made his return to the Indian team after proving his fitness with the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League, where he scored three fifties. However, his returns since his India comeback had been middling, with a couple of forties in the T20 World Cup standing out.
As India nears its selection shortlist for the Bangladesh Tests starting on September 19, Pant’s batting performance is under intense scrutiny. Red-ball cricket is where Pant has had his most significant impact for India, playing a critical role in the batting line-up as a quick-scorer and a valuable left-handed option at No. 5. In the three years before his accident, Pant scored four centuries, one less than Rohit Sharma’s five, which was the highest for India in that period.
Even though Dhruv Jurel, the current wicketkeeper in the Indian Test team, reinforced his credentials with sharp glovework, Pant’s flamboyant return introduces some welcome dilemmas for the selection panel. With this performance, Rishabh Pant has distinctly marked his presence and showcased his readiness to reclaim his spot, thereby injecting a fresh wave of optimism into Indian cricket’s future.