The left-handed batsman occupied the number 6 position in the batting order of the Indian team after coming back from an extended break for personal reasons. Post this, Rishabh served suspension from it for a considerable time because of injuries.
The Indian wicketkeeper-batsman played his first Test match after returning from a long layoff due to an injury. It was an important match for Rishabh Pant since it was the first red-ball international match played by him since the road accident.
In 2023, Rishabh was spotted doing some activities on the ground after a successful rehabilitation process late last year. Following that, he aided his squad in winning the T20 World Cup, then came back to take action in the Duleep Trophy, in the manner of a red ball’s comeback.
This is the kind of persona Rishabh possesses, that is, the inner fire and grit, “fearless” attitude, and “fun ways” of approaching every situation and that was the reason why Australian great Adam Gilchrist liked him.
Just like his ex-contemporary, wicket keeper Gilchrist, Pant loves disrupting the bowlers with his bats and all in jest. Blowing her conviviality, the Australian finds this to be one of the many extraordinary things that Pant possesses.
“I’m not too old myself considering shoots. There is one thing that I can figure out is aggression, he is quite aggressive,” that is how Gilchrist responded in a podcast discussion which is currently circulating on various social media sites.
“If you would have asked me that time, I would have said, I was playing an aggressive brand of cricket but Rishabh, he is just fearless. On the other hand, what I do appreciate is that he sometimes takes the pedal off and takes a little pressure. That is something when he is in class,” said Sharma.”
Gilchrist also changed the perception about a lay back opening batsman as did former Indian opening batsman Virender Sehwag who played 96 tests, 287 ODIs, 13 T20s.
He perceives that this kind of entertainment the way Rishabh provides is why people pay the money.
“He is, what you say, bums on seats and people pay money well and truly. Some people may say I would pay good money to watch him play cricket. So that’s a great quality to have, to be honest, I think people are acknowledging in that manner because he gets the results he is a winner and a survivor as we know it. He is all class, whatever he does. And He is good fun, he has humour in him. He understands the seriousness of the business, but is able to do it in a fun way,” said the World Cup winner.
Pant made a come back and scored 39 runs in his first-ever test innings.
