8 months ago
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NEW DELHI: Indian wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant has started training for his
red-ball comeback
in the
Duleep Trophy
, beginning on September 5. Pant, who recovered from a car accident in December 2022, shared a training video on Instagram, featuring his customary shots.
Pant emphasized his commitment with the caption: "I try not to have expectations because they can tend to tear you apart.
I try to work as hard as I possibly can and give every ounce of a hundred percent & keep learning from it. #RP17."
After the accident, Pant returned during the Indian Premier League (IPL), leading the
Delhi Capitals
. The team finished sixth, narrowly missing the playoffs with seven wins and seven losses. Pant was the top run-scorer for his team, accumulating 446 runs in 13 matches with a strike rate over 155, including three half-centuries.
Pant's impact extends to
international cricket
, playing a vital role in India's ICC T20 World Cup-winning campaign. He was the third-highest run-getter for India with 171 runs at an average of 24.42, also setting a record for the most dismissals (14) by a wicketkeeper in a single T20 World Cup edition. His contributions were crucial in ending India's 13-year ICC World Cup drought.
The Duleep Trophy will see Pant representing India B, with a two-match Test series against Bangladesh starting on September 19. As one of India's leading red-ball batters, Pant is known for delivering decisive performances.
Since his Test debut in 2018, Pant has played 33 Tests, scoring 2,271 runs at an average of 43.67, with a strike rate surpassing 73. His record includes five centuries and 11 fifties, with a top score of 159*.
Fans are eagerly anticipating Pant's participation in the
Border-Gavaskar Trophy
against Australia, beginning on November 22. Pant has an impressive record in Australia, scoring 624 runs in seven matches at an average of over 62, including a century and two half-centuries, with a career-best score coming against the Aussies.
As Pant prepares for his return to red-ball cricket, his performance in the Duleep Trophy will be closely monitored by both selectors and fans, who are keen to see him back in top form.
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