Rohit Sharma praises Rishabh Pant for his ‘instant impact’ on Test return after ‘tough times’

Rishabh Pant scored his sixth Test century on the third day of the opening Test against Bangladesh, which India won by 280 runs on Sunday, his first since returning to competitive cricket after recovering from injuries sustained in a horrific car accident in December 2022.

Indian cricket captain Rohit Sharma was full of praise for his star wicket-keeper and batter, saying after the win: “He has been through some really tough times. It was great to see him come through those tough times.”

“He came back in the IPL, followed by a very successful World Cup and that is the format he loves the most. For us, it was never about what he would do with the bat, we always knew what he was capable of with the bat and also with the gloves. It was just about giving him game time,” he added.

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Rohit also praised Pant's performance in participating in the first round of the domestic cricket tournament, which prepared him for the longest format of the game.

“You also have to give him credit for playing in the Duleep Trophy tournament, preparing for this Test match and making an immediate impact in the game,” he said.

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Pant stressed that he “belongs most to Test cricket”.

“100 was special because I love playing in Chennai. After my injury, I wanted to play all three formats and this was my first Test. I hope to get better every day,” Pant told broadcasters.

“It was emotional. I wanted to score a goal in every game, but that didn't work out. But I wanted to do well in the tests, that's where I belong. Being on the field gives me more joy than anything else.”

“I'm always nervous before matches, even if I've hit the hundred mark. And this time I was playing after two years, so I was nervous,” he added.

(With contributions from agencies)