As India notched its biggest-ever Test win – an innings and 300 runs – on June 8 against Afghanistan, a milestone was achieved by one of India’s most valued assets in the Test format. Rishabh Pant has come a long way since his debut at Trent Bridge against England in 2018 to play the 50th Test of his career. It was a fruitful outing as he shrugged off a difficult IPL season – he scored 312 runs in 13 innings with a solitary half-century for the Lucknow Super Giants – to emerge with an entertaining 81.
These eight years have been eventful for the wicketkeeper-batsman as he received praises as well as brickbats for his cavalier batting style, served as captain and vice-captain, and suffered a life-threatening car accident.
Former India wicketkeeper Kiran More was effusive in his praise for the 28-year-old.
“He is one of the most successful wicketkeeper-batters who has done so well in Test cricket (sic). He has scored eight hundreds — six of those overseas. That shows the class of a player. He is a match-winner as a Test wicketkeeper-batsman. And, he has kept [wickets] very well in all the Test matches he has played. He has got a fantastic record,” More told Patriot.
‘Difficult position’
More highlighted his contributions for India at No. 5, the position that has yielded him the best results as a batsman – 1,888 runs in 36 innings at an average of 55.53.
Overall, Rishabh has piled up 3,557 runs at 43.38, with an unbeaten 159 against Australia in Sydney in 2019 as his highest. He has hit 378 boundaries and 97 sixes.
“For me, especially the way he bats in Test cricket is fantastic — and he scores a lot of runs. And the batting order he comes in at [No.5] is, I think, the most difficult position, as you have to carry the innings or you have to save a Test match or have to win a match after most of the specialist batters are gone. He bats along with the tailenders and gets his job done,” More said.
“For me, he will be part of the Test team most of the time because you don’t get such a player who can win a Test match from nowhere.”
Nod of approval
Sanjeev Pant had seen Rishabh when Rishabh was an 11-year-old participating in admission trials at Dehradun’s Maharana Pratap Sports College. Having closely followed Rishabh’s journey from his early days in Roorkee, the former coach praised his pupil for his sustained success in Test cricket.
“I would consider his Test journey so far as ‘good’. Significantly, Rishabh has not failed in Test cricket and most of the times he has scored runs and has done well as a wicketkeeper too.”
Sanjeev also highlighted the value of his performances in England during a five-Test tour last year when he scored 479 runs – posting two centuries and a half-century en route – at an average of 68.42. The performances had contributed to a memorable series that finished 2-2, and were impactful enough for Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack to name him as one of its five ‘Cricketers of The Year’ for 2025.
“When you play on pitches that are foreign to you, take the pressure, and score runs, it means a lot. In England, it is difficult to bat and keep wickets, which he did very well, while pace bowlers get all the benefit and support from the conditions,” Sanjeev said.
Comeback from injury
The car accident that threatened to derail his career has only served to highlight Rishabh’s resilience.
Dinshaw Pardiwala, a renowned orthopaedic surgeon, treated him after his car accident on the Delhi-Dehradun highway in December 2022. He is glad that the batsman has shown no discomfort in his right knee that was badly damaged after the accident.
“I am happy that multiple seasons after the injury and the surgery he has had no subsequent problems with that knee. I think that it’s enough evidence that the knee is now normal. He has forgotten which knee was operated upon, something we call the ‘forgotten knee sign’ [in medical parlance]. That, again, is a good sign that he has no residual problem with that knee and it is allowing him to do whatever he wants to do in the sport,” Pardiwala told Patriot.
“It delights me that he has been playing well and that means it is not giving him any subsequent issues.”
Captaincy prospects
As one of three senior members of the Indian Test team – KL Rahul and Shubman Gill being the others – how are Rishabh’s prospects as a future India captain?
“Regarding captaincy, let’s see how it goes. He’s been struggling in other formats – T20 and one-dayers – lately. So, the best thing for him would be to leave him alone, let him play Test cricket and other formats as well. He is a fighter and he will come back strongly in other formats of the game,” says Kiran More.
Says Sanjeev: “I can visualise him as a Test captain. Even if Shubman Gill is there, Rishabh could be appointed captain. After all, how many options do you have for Test captaincy? After Gill, there is only KL Rahul and Rishabh as senior players. Moreover, there is no guarantee about any player’s form and injury. Suryakumar Yadav is a prime example of this.”
Also Read: Vinesh Phogat wrestles to return to the mat
India captain or not, More envisions a bright future for Rishabh.
“Even after 50 Test matches, he is going to go a long way. He is going to make history as an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman in Indian cricket. He is a fantastic cricketer and wicketkeeper. He will keep performing.”
