Rishabh Pant is back! After a long wait of 14 months, the swashbuckling wicketkeeper batter entered the field to play his first proper cricket match. Although his inning lasted just 13 deliveries, it was more than enough to savor the Gabba hero’s return. Having started with a brisk single, although a bit flustered, he looked home.
Even Lady Luck seemed to be on his side. He was dropped by Harshal Patel at deep square leg in what looked like a straightforward catch. Unfortunately for Pant, just eight deliveries later, he had to depart. Trying to get back into his groove, he edged a short ball to Jonny Bairstow at the backward point, going for an uppercut. He scored 18 runs on his comeback but managed to win the hearts of everyone on the ground and every cricket fan around the globe.
A positive start for Rishabh Pant
Despite not scoring big runs, Pant looked like he had before his accident. His movement against the spinners, in particular, was great. He came down the track a few times and went for his trademark shots as well. Scoring just 18 runs might not have been what he wanted, but from a future perspective, it bodes well.
He looked a little jittery at the start, but one would expect that to happen to anyone who’s returning to cricket after a long 14 months. Now, all eyes are on how he’ll keep in the second inning and see if he’s able to handle the physical toll of wicketkeeping.
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