Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s remarkable return to Test cricket was a highlight of India’s dominant 280-run win over Bangladesh in the opening Test of the ongoing two-match Test series at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
Rishabh Pant’s incredible performance as a wicketkeeper-batsman has solidified his potential to be a key figure in world cricket over the next decade, and Saba Karim compared the impact the 26-year-old has had to the legacy left by Indian legends like Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.
India’s victory in the first Test was emphatic, but what stood out most against Bangladesh was Rishabh Pant’s sensational century. After contributing 39 runs in the first innings, he came back with an outstanding knock of 109 runs off just 128 balls in the second.
His explosive batting played a crucial role in setting a daunting target of 515 runs for Bangladesh, which proved to be too much for the tourists. This century was special for the left-handed batsman as he played his first Test match since December 2022.
This comeback century marked his sixth in Test cricket, equalling Dhoni’s record for the most hundreds by an Indian wicket-keeper-batsman. Meanwhile, Karim described Pant’s remarkable comeback as the biggest story of the Chennai Test against Bangladesh.
The former Indian selector said that just like India felt blessed to have Tendulkar, Dhoni and Virat during their respective eras, he anticipates the same for Rishabh Pant, thanks to his skill set both as a wicket-keeper and a batsman.
The biggest story of this Test match was Pant’s comeback: Saba Karim
Saba Karim further mentioned that his ability to entertain while also delivering results has made him a fan favourite and a key part of Indian cricket.
Saba Karim said on Colors Cineplex, “The biggest story of this Test match was Rishabh Pant’s return to Test cricket, which everyone was waiting for. I may be saying something important. There was a time when we used to say that we were lucky to see the Sachin Tendulkar era, and then came the MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli phases.”
The cricket expert added, “We are honoured to have a player like Rishabh Pant in our team, who makes watching cricket fun, be it at the crease or behind the wickets. I feel that we will carry Rishabh Pant’s name repeatedly in the next decade. Very few international players have the skill set, mentality and clarity that this player has.”
This was the right definition of a comeback: Saba Karim on Rishabh Pant’s memorable comeback
In the end, Karim insisted that Pant’s return to Test cricket was a shining example of a true comeback. He said that Pant once again proved his worth as a wicket-keeper-batsman in Tests and mentioned that many were curious to know how he would perform and how he would handle the pressure and nerves of the game after such a long absence.
Saba concluded by saying, “It has been a splendid comeback and it was the right definition of a comeback. When he came back after such a long time, everyone was thinking about how he would hold up and bat in the longer format and how he would be in terms of nerves. However, he dispelled all those thoughts not only with the way he batted but, in my opinion, with his batting as well.”