Rishabh Pant poised for glory in Kanpur as India’s ‘Demolition Man’ eyes another century

Rishabh Pant, the swashbuckling batsman-wicketkeeper, has limited experience at Kanpur’s Green Park Stadium, where the second and final Test of the series against Bangladesh is set to begin on September 27. Pant has played only two senior-level matches at this historic venue — a Duleep Trophy game and an IPL encounter — and has little to show for his performances, either with the bat or as a wicketkeeper.

In a 2017 IPL match for Delhi Daredevils (now Delhi Capitals) against Gujarat Lions, Pant managed only four runs before being run out and didn’t take any catches or effect stumpings as a wicketkeeper. In the Duleep Trophy that same year, playing for India Red against India Blue, he scored 15 and 46, once again falling to a run-out. Behind the stumps, Pant took three catches and effected one stumping during the four-day match. In total, he faced just 46 balls across these two matches.

Despite this, Pant is expected to set Green Park ablaze given his current red-hot form. “He should continue with the same momentum. The venue won’t make a difference. Consistency is what every team looks for,” said former Delhi captain KP Bhaskar, who coached Pant during his breakthrough Ranji Trophy season in 2016 17.

Pant’s return to Test cricket after two years, following a severe car accident, saw him immediately make a stellar impact, contributing crucially to India’s 280-run victory with scores of 39 and a stroke-filled 109 at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium.

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Sensational comeback

The left-handed Rishabh Pant, promoted to the No. 5 batting position in Chennai ahead of KL Rahul, played a crucial role in stabilizing India after they were reduced to a precarious 34 for 3 wickets in the first innings. He did not disappoint captain Rohit Sharma, who placed his trust in him.

In the second innings, Pant, again batting at No. 5, slammed his sixth century, which consolidated India’s lead and brought him level with MS Dhoni as the Indian wicketkeeper with the most Test centuries. Pant’s innings helped India set a challenging target for Bangladesh.

“I’m sure he would have been nervous on his comeback after a life-threatening accident, but if he was, he didn’t show it. It shows his character. He would’ve been relieved after the second innings. He gave his 110 percent in both departments,” Bhaskar told Patriot.

Having made a successful return in the IPL this March, followed by the ODIs — Pant missed last year’s 50-over World Cup in India due to fitness issues — he has made a sensational return to Test cricket.

For someone whose right knee was severely injured in the accident, Pant showed no discomfort in Chennai and kept wickets for 109.2 overs. Dr Dinshaw Pardiwala, the renowned orthopaedic surgeon who operated on Pant’s knee, said that the Bangladesh Test series would be the “litmus test” of his ability to withstand the rigours of five-day cricket. Having passed the first half of the test, Pant is ready for the second.

“…After the injury, I wanted to play all three formats, and this was my first Test match since coming back. Just loving it every day,” Pant said after the Chennai Test.

Last week, Dr Pardiwala told Patriot in an exclusive interview that he had initially set an 18-month recovery period for Pant after the surgery. However, Pant made a remarkably swift recovery, returning to competitive cricket in just 15 months.

Opportunity to win hearts

Kanpur’s cricket fans are a passionate lot, and they appreciate, acknowledge, and applaud good performances. They lauded Mohammed Azharuddin’s world-record three successive Test centuries since his debut against England in late 1984. He cracked his third straight century at Green Park in early 1985, having hit tons on his Test debut in Calcutta and then in Madras. Kanpur fans immediately formed an Azharuddin Fans’ Club to show their gratitude and love for him.

So, if Rishabh gets going at Green Park, too, and hammers another century in his maiden Test match there, he could also become a household name in Kanpur. Local fans would surely lap up his feat, and who knows, they might form a Rishabh Pant Fan Club, like they did for Azharuddin.

Former India and Delhi pacer Atul Wassan says expectations will be high from Pant.

“People would expect him to do the same again and again. Rishabh makes people go ‘wow’. So, there’s always pressure on players who make fans ‘wow’. If they fail, people get surprised. And Rishabh has taken on the pressure of responsibility,” says Wassan, the present white-ball mentor for Delhi teams.

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In Sehwag’s mould

A product of Dronacharya Award-winning coach Tarak Sinha of the renowned Sonnet Club, Pant made his Ranji Trophy debut in the 2015-16 season, coinciding with the departure of key players Virender Sehwag, Mithun Manhas, and Rajat Bhatia from Delhi to other states.

After a quiet first season, Pant showed his real class, calibre, and capability the next year. He amassed 972 runs in eight Ranji Trophy matches at a staggering average of 81.00, and slammed four centuries, including a whirlwind triple. He took 24 catches behind the wickets and effected a stumping. His batting bore stark similarities with Sehwag, the only difference being that Pant is left handed.

Pant has been fortunate that, barring the occasional criticism of his reckless approach, everyone has backed him and his game, both in Delhi and at the national level. He has been given the license to play his natural game, and he has turned out to be a match-winner for every team he represents.

“Both Sehwag and Rishabh are impact players who rely on hand-eye coordination. They have no fear of failure. It’s only a question of consistency. You’ll be overawed by what they do. So why should they curb their game?” argues Bhaskar.

The ‘backstory’

For Wassan, Pant’s recovery from the accident is perhaps more critical. “It’s his back story – where he was a few months ago. He’s back on his performance. The ‘final frontier’ for him was to get his Test place back,” he underlines.

Former India batsman Gursharan Singh, chairman of the present Delhi men’s senior selection committee, hopes Pant will succeed in Kanpur too.

“He was involved in a match-winning partnership in Chennai and demolished Bangladesh with his bat. He’s in great form, and he should score runs in Kanpur as well,” says Singh, who captained Punjab to their maiden Ranji Trophy title in 1992-93.

Besides 31 ODIs and 76 T20Is, Pant has so far played 34 Tests and scored 2,419 runs at a good average of 44.79, with six tons and 11 half-centuries.

More importantly, like Sehwag, he demolishes and demoralises opponents, giving India a huge advantage. Kanpur fans would be looking forward to watching Pant recreate his Chennai performance in their city.

The writer is a senior journalist based in Delhi and has covered sports for over three decades