Rishabh Pant braces for Test return after 632 days

CHENNAI: A harsh sun beating down on him, Rishabh Pant was engrossed preparing for his first Test in two years, taking down net bowlers in that unmistakably Pant-ish way.

From getting tossed up some 40m into air off a toppled car to getting back to cricket field at the highest level is nothing less than extraordinary.

It was hard to believe that 632 days have passed since Pant has played a Test match, and, coincidentally, his last five-day game was also against Bangladesh in 2022.

Now, the same opposition awaits him on his return to Test cricket come Thursday at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, and while the cricketing landscape around him remains largely unchanged, though some worthy contenders have come up in the interim.

Dhruv Jurel has impressed all with a gritty outing in front and behind the stumps during the home series against England earlier this year.

None could have faulted the team management if they continued with Jurel for this match, but head coach Gautam Gambhir underlined the value Pant brings to the table.

"We all know how destructive he can be (as a batter) and what he can do in Test cricket. Obviously, it gives him the freedom to go out there and express himself. He has got runs everywhere around the world.

"It is always good to have someone like him who can open the game for us and more importantly can bring a lot of impact as well," Gambhir said in the pre-match press meet here.

Of course, Pant has made his return to international cricket through the white ball formats, and was a part of India's T20 World Cup winning squad too but the long-format matches offer a vastly different challenge in terms of skills and the duration of concentration.

Pant showed his readiness for the grind of red-ball cricket while playing for India B in the recent Duleep Trophy match at Bengaluru.

After a rather nervy 10-ball seven in the first innings against India A, Pant showcased his full range with a 47-ball 61 that contained nine fours and two sixes.

He tumbled, shuffled across and went deep into crease during that knock, but the management could have been more eager to see how he responded to the task of wicket-keeping.

Pant aced that test with flying colours, taking seven catches, five alone in the second innings, in that match.

The 26-year-old flew around behind the stumps to latch on to catches way down the leg side, a telltale sign of a wicket-keeper's anticipation and agility, and was in the right position when the spinners operated.

Jurel played for India A, but it was clear that the match was more of an audition for Pant ahead of his reintegration into Test cricket, which was supported by a quick assessment by the NCA physios.

Gambhir delved on Pant's role as a wicketkeeper.

"Not only with his batting, he has been excellent behind the stumps as well. Probably his batting overshadows his keeping many times.

"But actually, see what he has done in Indian conditions…it is never easy to keep against people like Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep. So, what he has done behind the stumps has been remarkable.

"Obviously, he brings a lot of good things to the Test side. Not only from the batting point of view, but from the keeping point of view as well," Gambhir detailed.

Above all this, Pant gives a different angle to the whole game of cricket with his attitude. Ricky Ponting, who worked with Pant at Delhi Capitals, gave an insight.

"He's an infectious character to have around the group. He loves his cricket. He's a winner. He doesn't just play to make a few runs and be out there for the fun of it," Ponting recently told Sky Sports.