It’s been superb to watch Rishabh Pant manage and overcome tough times: Rohit Sharma
India captain Rohit Sharma has hailed Rishabh Pant for his remarkable comeback in Test cricket as he made his return to the format after over 20 months in the ongoing series against Bangladesh. Pant scored a gritty 39 (52) in the first innings when India were reeling at 34/3.
He further scored a magnificent 109 (128) in the second innings to register his sixth Test hundred. As a result, he became India’s leading centurion in the format among wicketkeepers, along with MS Dhoni. Following his remarkable performance on his comeback, Rohit acknowledged the hardships the youngster had to go through following his horrific car crash.
The India skipper also mentioned Pant’s special love for Test cricket.
“He’s been through some really tough times. The way he has managed himself was superb to watch. He came back in the IPL, followed by a successful World Cup and this is a format he loves the most. It was about giving him the game time. Credit to him, he had an impact straightaway. No matter what the conditions are, we want to build the team around that,” said Rohit in the post-match presentation.
Pant’s last appearance in the longest format also came against Bangladesh on 25th December 2022 in Mirpur. The southpaw scored a magnificent 93 in the first innings followed by a nine as India registered a thrilling three-wicket win. Following the Test, the star cricketer survived a near fatal car accident while travelling to his hometown to celebrate new year and was out of action for 15 months.
IND vs BAN 1st Test Day 4 Highlights
India won the first Test by 280 runs
However, he finally made the return to the pitch in the IPL 2024 and later made his comeback in the Indian jersey during the T20 World Cup 2024. Meanwhile, India beat Bangladesh by 280 runs in the first Test as they bundled out Bangladesh for 234 on Day 4 with Ravichandran Ashwin picking six wickets.
The Rohit Sharma-led side will be eager to continue their winning momentum in the second Test beginning from September 27 at Green Park, Kanpur. India have retained the same squad for the second game as well.
