Rishabh Pant may have missed out on the first innings of his return to first-class cricket, but the wicketkeeper-batter was in no mood to waste another opportunity as he hit a rapid fifty for India B against India A in the first round of Duleep Trophy 2024. Pant hit his 20th first-class fifty in just 34 deliveries as he tore into the India A bowling line-up on Day 3 of the match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Rishabh Pant hit nine boundaries and a six when he went past the fifty-run mark. Returning to red-ball cricket for the first time since December 2022, Pant looked a bit shaky in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy match. He got out for seven while trying to play an expansive shot against India A pacer Akash Deep on Thursday. Pant showed no half-heartedness on Saturday as he punished the India A bowlers for the smallest margin of errors.
Pant walked into bat after India B lost three early wickets in their second innings. Yashasvi Jaiswal (9), Musheer Khan (0) and captain Abhimanyu Easwaran (4) gout out cheaply, falling to deal with the new-ball attack of Akash Deep, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed.
Pant joined hands with Sarfaraz Khan and the two aggressive batters took the counter-attacking route to steer the team out of trouble. The duo added 72 runs in just 55 balls for the third wicket before Avesh removed Sarfaraz (46) with a sharp bouncer in the post-Tea session on Saturday. Pant did not slow down as he welcomed premier wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav into the attack with a flurry of boundaries. Pant hit his first six of the innings against Kuldeep, lofting a fuller-length delivery into the stands at long-on.
Pant looked to be aggressive even after getting to his fifty as he pulled an Avesh bouncer into the stands. Pant was even frustrated with himself after missing out on another six after a mistimed pull shot against a short-length delivery. Pant’s onslaught took India B’s second innings lead past 200 on Day 3.
Pant was dismissed by off-spinner Tanush Kotian when the wicketkeeper-batter top-edged a delivery while trying to sweep. He made 61 off 47 deliveries with two sixes and nine boundaries.
JUST IN TIME?
It was an important fifty for Rishabh Pant, who is trying to make his way back into the Test team. Pant has not played the longest format of the game for India since India’s tour of Bangladesh in December 2022. Pant was sidelined for more than a year after he picked up multiple injuries in a car accident on December 30, 2022. He returned to white-ball cricket in style, leading Delhi Capitals in IPL 2024 and featuring in India’s T20 World Cup triumph in the West Indies and the USA.
Pant will be keen on sealing his spot in the Test side for the busy season in which India will play 10 Tests in the next five months. Pant looked sharp with the gloves in the Duleep Trophy match, taking two catches.
India’s Test squad for a two-match series against Bangladesh, starting September 19 in Chennai, is set to be announced next week.