Rishabh Pant made a sensational return to Test cricket after 637 days, showcasing remarkable stroke play to notch his sixth century in the format. Walking in to bat during the 20th over of India’s second innings, Pant arrived at a critical juncture with India in a relative spot of bother after the dismissal of Virat Kohli for 17. With captain Rohit Sharma and Yashasvi Jaiswal both failing to register big scores, India faced a minor top-order collapse after holding a commanding 227-run lead from the first innings.
Pant, however, showed maturity in navigating the challenge alongside Shubman Gill, staying firm through the tense final overs of Day 2.
As play resumed on Day 3, Pant demonstrated uncharacteristic restraint in the early stages, opting for patience rather than his usual flamboyant style. In the first hour, he displayed exceptional composure, focusing on solidifying India’s position instead of taking risks.
He pounced on loose deliveries for boundaries but refrained from his typical aggressive stroke play, putting a price on his wicket. Pant’s half-century came off 88 balls, a knock slower than usual for the attacking batter, but reflective of the maturity he brought to his comeback.
With rain forecasts looming over Days 4 and 5, Pant and Gill shifted gears after their respective half-centuries, accelerating the scoring rate to take advantage of Bangladesh’s increasingly demoralising body language. Boundaries began to flow as batting conditions eased, and Pant seamlessly switched from a defensive mindset to an attacking one, putting further pressure on the deflated Bangladesh side.
By the lunch break, India had extended their lead to a commanding 432 runs with seven wickets still in hand, putting the visitors under immense pressure. Pant’s century came in 124 deliveries, and the batter thus marked a triumphant return to Test cricket.
Pant equals Dhoni
With his sixth century in the format, Rishabh Pant has now equalled former captain MS Dhoni for the most tons by an Indian wicketkeeper in Test cricket. While Dhoni played 90 Tests in his illustrious international career, Pant equalled the former skipper’s record in just 34 appearances in the format.
Most tons by Indian WKs in Test:
- 6* – Rishabh Pant
- 6 – MS Dhoni
- 3 – Wriddhiman Saha
The Indian wicketkeeper-batter was eventually dismissed for 109; he looked to clear Mehidy Hasan’s delivery over the bowler’s head but couldn’t find the timing, as Hasan took a smart catch off his own delivery.
