Rishabh Pant Archives

India assistant coach provides update on Rishabh Pant’s injury

Ryan ten Doeschate, the assistant coach of India, on Tuesday expressed hope that wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant will achieve full fitness ahead of the second Test against New Zealand.

Pant made a valiant 99 in the opening loss to the Kiwis, marking the visitors’ first Test victory in India since 1988.

But while keeping wickets, he hurt the same knee that was operated on after a serious car crash in December 2022 that sidelined him for more than a year.

His fitness remains in focus as the hosts look to level the three-match series in the Test starting Thursday in Pune.

“Rishabh’s pretty good,” Ryan ten Doeschate told reporters. “He was having a little bit of discomfort at the end range of his movement with the knee. But fingers crossed he’ll be good to keep in this Test as well.”

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Rishabh Pant, 27, has made a remarkable comeback from the night his Mercedes rammed into a barrier, flipped and caught fire near New Delhi.

He was left with a damaged ligament in his right knee, a hurt wrist and ankle and abrasions to his back, and laboured through an intensive rehabilitation programme.

India were bowled out for 46 in the opening match before Pant helped lead the fightback in a 177-run partnership with Sarfaraz Khan, who hit 150 after coming in for Shubman Gill.

Sarfaraz’s first Test ton has left India weighing a problem of plenty, with Gill set to return in the second match and management backing senior batsman KL Rahul, who has struggled with patchy batting form.

“There’s certainly no concerns about KL,” said ten Doeschate. “He’s batting nicely, he’s in a good mental space, but yeah, we’re certainly going to have to fit seven pieces into six spots for this Test and look at the pitch now and decide what’s going to be best for the team.”

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Mitchell Marsh on Rishabh Pant: “I wish he was Australian”

Australia’s white-ball captain Mitchell Marsh has expressed great admiration for Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant, going so far as to express a wish that Pant was an Australian.

Australia will host India for a five-match Test series, starting from November 22 in Perth. The second match will be played in Adelaide from December 6, followed by the third Test in Brisbane, scheduled from December 14-18.

The iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) will host the fourth match from December 26, while the final Test will be played in Sydney from January 3.

During India’s last tour of Australia in 2020-21, Rishabh Pant played a key role in his side’s 2-1 victory in the four-match Test series. The southpaw played gutsy knocks of 97 and 89* in the third and fourth matches respectively and was adjudged man of the match in the latter.

Mitchell Marsh, in a recent interview with an Indian sports channel, praised Pant for his fighting nature, referencing to his recent comeback to competitive cricket after a life-threatening car accident in 2022.

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“He’s a ripping bloke. I wish he was Australian. He’s obviously been through a lot over the last few years, and it’s been a hell of a comeback,” said Marsh.

“He’s a positive guy, still really young, and he loves winning. He’s highly competitive for someone who has the persona of being relaxed and always laughing and smiling. He’s got that big smile,” he added.

Marsh’s team-mate Travis Head also voiced similar opinion, praising Pant’s aggressive intent on the field.

“The Indian cricketer I believe is most Australian would be Rishabh Pant. I think the way he goes about his aggressive nature and his work ethic would make him very enjoyable to play with,” said Head.

It’s worth noting that Pant has scored 624 runs at an average of 62.40 in seven Test matches that he played in Australia.

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Gurbaz, Head storm into Top 10 of Babar-led ODI Batting Rankings

DUBAI: Afghanistan’s wicketkeeper batter Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Australia’s hard-hitting opener Travis Head on Wednesday, entered the Top 10 of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings, led by Pakistan’s star batter Babar Azam.

Gurbaz played a pivotal role in leading Afghanistan to their first-ever ODI series victory over South Africa, finishing the three-match series as the highest run-scorer.

The right-handed batter accumulated 194 runs at a brilliant average of 64.66 despite falling for a duck in the series opener. He recovered from a dismal start and smashed an anchoring century in the second ODI.

He continued his purple patch in the third ODI and scored a magnificent 89 up the order in Afghanistan’s seven-wicket defeat.

As a result, Rahmanullah Gurbaz jumped 10 places to eighth (692) and became the first-ever Afghanistan batter to make it to the Top 10 of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings.

On the other hand, Australia’s explosive opener Travis Head leapt seven spots to ninth (684), courtesy of his unbeaten 154-run knock against England in the first ODI of the ongoing five-match series.

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Meanwhile, Pakistan’s ace batter Babar Azam extended his stay at the summit of the ICC Men’s ODI Batting Rankings with 824 rating points, way ahead of Indian counterpart Rohit Sharma (765), who is closely followed by compatriots Shubman Gill (763) and Virat Kohli (746).

Besides ODI Batting Rankings, ICC Men’s Test Batting Rankings also witnessed a notable shakeup as returning India wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant re-entered the Top 10.

Pant, who scored a well-crafted century in India’s second innings in the first home Test against Bangladesh, secured sixth position in the Test Batting Rankings, led by England’s Joe Root.

India’s skipper Sharma, who registered two single-digit scores in the aforementioned fixture, slipped five places to 10th, paving the way for Mohammad Rizwan to climb up to eighth while Babar Azam remained at 11th.

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WATCH: Rishabh Pant sets fielding for Bangladesh

Wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant’s entertaining presence on the cricket field was on full display during India’s second innings in the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh.

The wicketkeeper-batter’s jovial nature and aggressive batting style have become hallmarks of his game.

On Day 3 of the Chennai Test, Pant walked out to bat and swiftly scored his 12th Test fifty.

During the match, a peculiar moment caught everyone’s attention when Pant advised Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto on field placement.

Rishabh Pant suggested placing a fielder on the on-side, saying, “Bhai idhar ayega ek. One fielder here.” Surprisingly, Shanto made the adjustments as per Pant’s suggestion, leaving commentators amused.

This incident brought back memories of MS Dhoni’s similar gesture during the 2019 World Cup.

Notably, India seized control of the first Test of the three-match series against Bangladesh despite a spirited start to the 515-run pursuit by the touring side.

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Bangladesh got off to a flying start to the pursuit but lost quick wickets before reaching 158-4 when the bad lights forced an early conclusion of an eventful third, with the visitors still needing 357 for a win.

Earlier, India declared their second innings on 287/4.

Rishabh Pant and Shubman Gill scored centuries and put on an anchoring 167-run partnership for the fourth wicket to put India in command.

At the Stumps on Day 3, Bangladesh skipper Najmul Hossain Shanto was unbeaten on 51 while Shakib Al Hasan had made five not out.

India hit Bangladesh with some “quality bowling”, Bangladesh batting coach David Hemp told reporters.

“Very confident side, especially at home, so you are going to be challenged,” he said.

“So it’s a case of how do we match that. You have to look to score and that’s what we just reinforce… to the batting group, to trust their strengths.”

READ: India hold upper hand despite spirited Bangladesh chase in first Test

Rishabh Pant back in India squad for ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024

Wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant was named in India’s 15-member squad on Tuesday for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled in the West Indies and the United States of America (USA).

All-rounder Shivam Dube and wicket-keeper Sanju Samson have also been included in the squad for the 20-team event, starting from June 1.

Rohit Sharma will lead the squad, while Hardik Pandya will serve as his deputy during the T20 World Cup.

Pant recently made his return to cricket during the ongoing IPL after being on the sidelines due to injuries suffered during a horrific car accident in December 2022.

The left-handed batter is currently the fourth-highest run-scorer in his comeback tournament with 398 runs at an average of 44.22 and an impressive strike rate of 158.56.

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Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who last played for India against West Indies in August 2023, earned a recall after his impressive showing in the IPL.

He will join all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel along with Kuldeep Yadav to form India’s spin attack.

Meanwhile, top-order batter Shubman Gill and lower-order batter Rinku Singh were named as reserve players along with pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan.

India will kick off their T20 World Cup 2024 campaign against Ireland on June 5 in New York, followed by the much-anticipated clash against arch-rivals Pakistan on June 9.

India T20 World Cup squad

Rohit Sharma (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya (vc), Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj

Reserve players: Shubman Gill, Rinku Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan

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Rishabh Pant to be airlifted to Mumbai for surgery after car crash

NEW DELHI: Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant will be airlifted to Mumbai for surgery, the country’s cricket board said Wednesday, nearly a week after he suffered several injuries in a road accident.

The national team wicketkeeper-batsman was driving his Mercedes SUV from New Delhi to his hometown Roorkee, a few hours north of the Indian capital, when it crashed into the median before dawn on Friday and immediately caught fire.

The 25-year-old was rescued by a bus driver and conductor on the highway and rushed to a local hospital for treatment before being shifted to an advanced facility in Dehradun.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said Pant “will be brought to Mumbai in an air ambulance” and admitted to a leading private hospital.

“Rishabh will undergo surgery and subsequent procedures for ligament tears and will continue to be monitored by the BCCI Medical Team throughout his recovery and rehabilitation,” the BCCI said.

The player had damaged a ligament in his right knee, hurt his wrist, ankle, and had abrasion injuries on his back, the BCCI said in an earlier statement.

Pant was “recovering well”, the director of Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) Shyam Sharma told AFP.

A maverick batsman, Pant is the mainstay of the Test squad and has played a key role in some of India’s most memorable wins in the last three years.

He also represents Delhi on the domestic circuit and leads the city team in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.

Days before the crash, Pant was left out of the squads for the ongoing T20 and ODI tour by Sri Lanka.

His omission came days after his match-winning innings of 93 in the second Test against Bangladesh, helping India secure a 2-0 series whitewash.

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Rishabh Pant hospitalized after serious car crash

DELHI: Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has been hospitalised after being involved in a serious car accident near his hometown of Roorkee in Uttarakhand.

The Hindustan Times reported that Pant’s car collided with a divider on the road and caught fire. He suffered injuries to his head, back and leg, multiple reports in Indian media said.

“Indian cricketer Rishabh Pant’s car met with an accident at around 5:30 am,” Director General of Uttarakhand Police, Ashok Kumar, was quoted as saying by NDTV.

“Praying for Pant. Thankfully he is out of danger,” former national team batsman VVS Laxman said on Twitter.

Pant was part of the test squad that sealed a 2-0 series victory over Bangladesh this month.

However, Pant, 25, was not part of the India squads for the T20I and ODI home series against Sri Lanka beginning on January 3.

He most recently played a match-winning innings of 93 in the second Test against Bangladesh in Mirpur.

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Pandya, Pant star as India thump England in final ODI to seal series

MANCHESTER: Rishabh Pant’s maiden ODI ton and Hardik Pandya’s glittering all-round performance steered India to edge the series 2-1 against England after a comprehensive five-wicket victory n the final game, here at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Pant blasted an astounding 125 not out to chase down a 260-run target set by England in the first innings after India elected to field first.

Pandya combined excellently with Pant for the fifth-wicket partnership of 133 runs to take their side out of the crisis after India stumbled on 72/4 in the 17th over.

Pandya smashed a brilliant 71 off 55 balls, laced with ten boundaries after he remained clinical with the bowl and bagged four wickets.

England’s last match hero Reece Topley continued with his blistering form as he ripped through the Indian top-order, knocking down skipper Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Virat Kohli during his first spell and reduced India to 38/3 inside nine overs.

Suryakumar Yadav survived for another seven overs before he fell prey to Craig Overton on 16 runs in the 17th over.

Pandya and Pant then paired together to take the game away from England’s reach and moved the scoreboard at an accelerating pace before Brydon Carse finally removed Pandya after India were comfortable at 205 requiring just 55 runs in 87 balls.

Pant, however, remained in control and reached to his maiden ODI hundred before taking his side home with 47 balls to spare.

England, on the other hand, had a dismal start to their innings as Indian pacer Mohammad Siraj took down Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root on ducks in the second over of the game.

Opener Jason Roy and all-rounder Ben Stokes then braced the innings for while before both fell prey to Pandya on 41 and 27, respectively.

England were marching comfortably towards a mammoth and had already raised 198 in 36 overs with five wickets in hand before Pandya grabbed two back-to-back wickets in the next over.

The all-rounder dismissed Liam Livingstone and skipper Jos Butler on 27 and 60, respectively, to reduce the host to 199/7. The collapse helped India to bowl out England inside 46 overs.

For India, apart from Pandya’s four-wicket-haul, Yuzendra Chahal grabbed three wickets while Siraj made two scalps.

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Bairstow, Pant step into top 10 as Kohli slips in latest ICC Test rankings

DUBAI: England’s batter Jonny Bairstow and Indian wicket-keeper Rishabh pant have been rewarded for their astounding forms as both stepped into the top 10 in the latest ICC Test batting rankings.

Bairstow made a leap forward to secure the 10th spot, meanwhile, Pant jumped six places to finish 5th in the latest rankings released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The 32-year-old Bairstow has been in sublime form in red-ball cricket as he smashed four centuries in the last three Tests, including dual tons against India in the rescheduled Test at Edgbaston aiding his side to clinch a historic chase in the fourth innings, yesterday.

Pant, on the other hand, has impressed with two centuries and three half-centuries in his past six Test innings to rise to his highest-ever position in the Test batting rankings.

However, former Indian captain and star batter Virat Kohli has slipped three spots to 13th in the latest rankings, owing to his dismal form.

Pakistan all-format captain Babar Azam remains unchanged in the 4th position in the latest Test rankings.

Meanwhile, England’s Joe Root continues to lead the rankings, followed by Australia’s Marnus Labuschagne and Steve Smith in second and third spots, respectively.

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Pant’s century rescues India after early collapse on the opening day

BIRMINGHAM: India’s wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant bailed off the touring side from the horror with a magnificent knock of 146 runs after the English pacemen tested the top order on the opening day of the rescheduled fifth Test.

With the touring side struggling at 98/5, Pant and Ravindra Jadeja came to the rescue and put on an astounding 222-run partnership to see off the trouble.

At the toss of the rescheduled fifth Test between the two sides, England’s newly-appointed captain Ben Stokes put the touring side into bat first after the coin flipped in his favour.

Batting first, India were off to a dismal start as the veteran pacer James Anderson removed both their openers Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara cheaply for a combined score of 46. Gill scored 17, while Pujara could only add 13 to his name.

Following the early horror, Hanuma Vihari and the former Indian captain Virat Kohli looked to anchor the innings and batted sensibly in a bid to ease the pressure.

However, Matthew Potts’s successive strikes trumped their effort; removing both the batters in a span of exactly two overs and causing India to slip to 71/4. The right-arm pacer trapped Vihari in his legs for 20 before casting the former top-ranked batter Kohli for 11.

Anderson then struck his third to add to the touring side’s misery as he removed Shreyas Iyer for a mere 15, courtesy of an astonishing catch behind the wicket by Sam Billings.

Pant and Jadeja then stood up for their side and batted sensibly to avoid the horror as they batted for around 39 overs and added 222 runs at a rapid pace.

The pair appeared unmoved with Pant amassing his fifth Test century on just 89 deliveries and Jadeja bringing up his outstanding half-century.

However, the England captain’s unusual tactics worked for him as the part-timer Joe Root struck gold for his side in just his third over; removing the dangerous Pant, who fell just four short of his 150. In his terrific knock of 144, the left-hander faced just 111 deliveries and smashed 23 boundaries including four sixes.

Following Pant’s exit, Stokes wasted no time to draw another success for his side as he removed the tailender, Shardul Thakur, for one in the next over.

The pair of Jadeja and Mohammed Shami then batted for the remaining five overs and added a crucial 15 runs to the team’s total before the rain-hit opening day concluded with India stable at 338/7.

Jadeja, who is just 17 short of his third Test hundred and Shami (0*) will now resume the proceedings for the touring side on the second day.

For England, Anderson shone again with three wickets, while Potts bagged two. Skipper Stokes, on the other hand, made one scalp.

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