Pant’s international comeback could be completed with a potential return to the Test arena
Rishabh Pant’s return to international cricket is set to come full circle with his expected inclusion in India’s squad for the upcoming two-Test series against Bangladesh, which is likely to be announced on Monday (September 9).
Following a 15-month hiatus after a serious car accident in late 2022, Pant has already marked his comeback in the shorter formats, including the IPL, T20 Internationals, and One-Day Internationals.
Now, he appears ready to rejoin the Test squad.
The selection of the 26-year-old wicketkeeper-batter seems almost certain, leaving it up to captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir to decide if Pant will be in the playing XI for the first Test, starting in Chennai on September 19.
Pant will face competition from Dhruv Jurel, who performed admirably during Pant’s absence in the series against England.
However, the final decision on the lineup will rest with the team management, not with Ajit Agarkar and his selection committee, who are set to meet online on Monday to finalize the squad.
Since his return to international cricket, Pant’s form has been mixed, showing glimpses of brilliance in white-ball formats.
He played in every game of India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign and appears to have regained the selectors’ confidence.
In the Duleep Trophy opener, Pant further strengthened his case with an aggressive knock of 61 for India A against Team India A in Bengaluru.
Coincidentally, his last Test match before the accident was also against Bangladesh in December 2022.
Apart from Pant’s possible inclusion, few changes are expected from the side that played the last Test in Dharamsala against England earlier this year.
Most of the batting lineup, barring Rajat Patidar, is likely to remain intact.
The pace attack will be led by Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj, with Akash Deep – who impressed with a nine-wicket haul in the Duleep Trophy – expected to be the third seamer.
The status of Mukesh Kumar, another pacer from the Dharamsala Test, is still uncertain.
The spin department, featuring R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, and Axar Patel (who was a reserve in Dharamsala), is also likely to remain unchanged.
The primary question for selectors revolves around the batting order.
With key players like Rohit Sharma, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shubman Gill, and Virat Kohli already established, the selectors will need to fill two or three more spots for the 15-man squad.
Devdutt Padikkal, who scored a solid 65 in Dharamsala, could be one option.
For the remaining places, Sarfaraz Khan and KL Rahul are strong contenders.
Sarfaraz impressed with a half-century in Dharamsala, while Rahul missed most of that series due to injury.
Sarfaraz’s younger brother, Musheer Khan, who showcased his talent with a remarkable 181 for India B under pressure in the Duleep Trophy, is likely to wait for his chance.
The selectors are expected to field him in the India A team before considering him for the senior side.
Following the Chennai Test, which concludes on September 23, the second Test will begin on September 27 in Kanpur.
Selected players are expected to assemble in Chennai by September 12, at which point new bowling coach Morne Morkel will have joined the team.
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