Chennai is the home ground of Ravichandran Ashwin, but during the two months in the Indian Premier League (IPL), it belongs to MS Dhoni. Rishabh Pant, the wicket-keeper batter for India, has admitted that it was an incredible feeling to be back in the longest format of the game after 634 days, and that too at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.
India was in tremendous trouble in the opening game when they lost four wickets quite early in the game. He stitched up a partnership with Yashasvi Jaiswal and mostly looked to remain in an aggressive mode for the whole game.
Rishabh Pant chased a very wide delivery in the first innings and got an outside edge behind the stumps. That was his action in the middle since that horrible car accident, which kept him out of the entire 2023 year. In the second inning, the situation was nearly the same.
“It’s CSK’s home ground”- Rishabh Pant reveals
When the Delhi batter walked into the middle in the second innings, India was again struggling with a few early wickets, as they just saw the back of Virat Kohli. Pant didn’t waste much time with the bat and looked to smash the visiting spinners around the park for a few big shots.
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Rishabh Pant thumped a knock of 109 runs in the innings in just 128 deliveries with the help of 13 boundaries and four sixes at a strike rate of over 85. He equals MS Dhoni to secure his sixth Test century, the most for the Blue Brigade in this format as a designated wicket-keeper batter.
The broadcasters tried to draw a comparison between the Uttarakhand-born and Dhoni, who has been a huge member of the Super Kings at this ground in the 20-over league for such a long time. The youngster said that he always wanted to be himself from the start of his career.
“It’s CSK’s home ground, Mahi Bhai has played here a lot but, I’ve always said that I want to be myself. I don’t focus on other things. Instead, I try to keep things simple and always try to give my best. But the atmosphere was lively, and I enjoyed it.” The left-handed batter pointed out during his conversation on Jio Cinema at the end of the game, which India went on to win by 280 runs.
Comebacks are never easy for any sportsperson, and Rishabh Pant was nothing different, especially from the conditions he came out.
“I was a little nervous. It happens with me in every game, doesn’t matter if I’m getting a hundred or not. For this game, I was back in action after two years, I was a little more nervous than usual.” The 26-year-old remarked during the chat.
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In this game, on both innings, he walked into the middle at number five, where he has smashed 869 runs in 12 innings at an excellent average of 79 with a strike rate of over 90 with the help of six half-centuries and a couple of centuries at a best score of 146.
In 2022, Rishabh Pant collected 680 runs in 12 innings at an average of 61.82 and a strike rate of around 90, thanks to his four half-centuries and a couple of centuries with a best score of 146, and he started from where he left off and will look to continue the same touch in the second Test at the Green Park stadium in Kanpur.