When India won the last two Test series in Australia during the 2018/19 and 2020/21 summer, one of the key members of the Indian side was Rishabh Pant, the young and free-flowing wicket-keeper batter who showed his freedom while scoring runs in the middle order at crucial stages of the game.
Rishabh Pant was out of action for the entire 2023 and missed the Border Gavaskar Trophy at home, but, has marked his return in the longest format of the game during the first of the two-match series against Bangladesh at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and will look to put up a great show in Australia.
The Uttarakhand-born was phenomenal with the bat in the game as he celebrated his century against Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side, as he smashed the ball around the park, taking on the spinners and the fast bowlers equally.
“Will look to keep Rishabh Pant quiet”- Pat Cummins
The current Test captain of the Australian side, Pat Cummins, feels that every side has someone in the team in the five-day format who can change the momentum of the game at any point in time, as he mentioned the names of Travis Head and Mitchell Marsh.
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During the 2018/19 season of the BGT, Rishabh Pant was the second leading run-getter of the four-match series with 350 runs in seven innings at an average of 58.33 and a strike rate of over 70 with the help of one century, which ended with unbeaten 159 runs in Sydney.
“Look, I think every team has one or two of those players who can take the game on. You know, we have got Travis Head, Mitchell Marsh, and those guys.” The pace-bowling all-rounder was expressed in a recent interview with Star Sports. “I think with those guys, you know, they are going to be aggressive. You miss your area a little bit, and they are going to take the game on.”
Even during the return of the Indian side in the 2020/21 summer, Rishabh Pant was the third-highest run-getter of the series as he clubbed 274 runs at an average of 68.50 in five innings with a strike rate of around 70, with the help of two half-centuries.
The 97-run knock excited the Ajinkya Rahane-led side for a victory in Sydney, while his unbeaten 89 runs at the Gabba completed the dream and carried them over the line.
“You know someone like Rishabh Pant plays that reverse lap, and it’s an incredible shot, and that’s just part of who he is. I think we have become a little bit accustomed to it. Nowadays, those sorts of shots are a little bit common, but, yeah, he is someone who has a big influence on a couple of series and (will) try to keep him quiet.” The all-rounder from New South Wales remarked.
Overall, the 26-year-old has notched up 2419 runs in 34 Tests at an average of 44.79 and a strike rate of over 70 with the help of 11 half-centuries and six centuries, which equals him with MS Dhoni as the most successful designated wicket-keeper batter of the Blue Brigade.
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Rishabh Pant will still have one more red-ball game against Bangladesh and three more against New Zealand before taking the flight to Australia, which will help him get into the grooves of the level.
The opening game of the five-match series begins on November 22 at the Optus Stadium before they move for the second game (day-night fixture) at the Adelaide Oval. The last three games will take place, respectively, in Brisbane, Melbourne, and Sydney.