If there’s one image that will forever etch itself from the best cricketing moments of 2024, it is undoubtedly the sight of Rishabh Pant coming out to bat at number four after a long absence of 15 months, during the Delhi Capitals-Punjab Kings match in March at Mullanpur.

The morning of December 30, 2022, brought genuine scare and tension to the cricketing fraternity. Pant’s life-threatening car accident on the way to his home in Roorkee, Uttarakhand, left everyone wondering if he could ever play in the same remarkable way that won him accolades from fans around the world.

But this year Pant has convincingly dispelled all those doubts with his impressive performances in the IPL 2024, as a wicketkeeper-batter. He further showcased his skills on challenging pitches in New York during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign. Additionally, he made a comeback to ODI cricket through the Sri Lanka tour, although the outcome didn’t yield the expected result.

On September 5, Pant will make his comeback in red-ball cricket at the M, where Team B will play against Team A in the first round match of the Duleep Trophy at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, ending a 620-day wait for fans to see him in the longer format.

While Pant is known for his attacking prowess in limited-overs cricket, it is in Test matches where he has truly made a difference for the Indian team, seen from his 2271 runs in 31 games, while boasting an average of 43.67.

From the moment he smashed Adil Rashid’s googly for a six over long-on in his debut Test innings at Trent Bridge in 2018 to reverse-sweeping off James Anderson at Ahmedabad in 2021, Pant has consistently delivered remarkable performances for India – both on home soil and abroad.

Pant’s contribution in India’s epic Border-Gavaskar Trophy win in 2020/21 solidified his status as a generational talent. He displayed his brilliance with a dazzling 97 in a tense draw at Sydney, and followed it up with a daring 89 not out in an unforgettable run-chase at Brisbane. Pant also boasts of achieving a feat unmatched by any other Indian wicketkeeper-batter: scoring Test centuries in Australia, England, and South Africa.

“He is having that excitement of playing red-ball cricket after so many days. Everyone at the club has been proud of him being a member of T20 World Cup winning team and I wish to see him play Test cricket in the way he played previously. His fitness has also been great and you all must have seen the improvements he’s made in his wicketkeeping during the T20 World Cup. The upcoming Duleep Trophy will tell what would happen next for him in red-ball game,” said Devendra Sharma, Pant’s childhood coach at the Sonnet Club, to IANS.

The timing of Pant’s comeback in red-ball cricket couldn’t be better, as India prepares with an aspiration to clinch their third Border-Gavaskar Trophy victory on Australian grounds. If Pant can find his rhythm in the longer format, it will uplift India’s aspirations of winning the five-match Test series in Australia.

“Being back so soon and in contention to play at the highest level, where he has already played, it’s phenomenal as far as Rishabh is concerned. When you talk about those kinds of injuries, there’s one thing coming back on the field physically. But to be back mentally and so good to play at the international level, credit needs to be given to him. I recently met him because he played one game at Delhi Premier League (for Purani Dilli 6 team).”

“He looked so much different as far as his mentality is concerned and even physically, there was so much change – much stronger, much leaner, much fitter. Credit needs to be given to him in that sense that coming back after that sort of an injury and back again on the park.”

“But you always have to start again and I think he’s on that road to start again. His numbers in Test match cricket, and especially abroad is phenomenal. So, he’s going to be somebody who will be right in the contention as far as filling that spot. But it’s good to see him back,” said Vijay Dahiya, former India wicketkeeper-batter, to IANS.

The Duleep Trophy helps Pant adapt to the longer format and its demands for a wicketkeeper-batter. “Normally, if you see in a T20 game, the balls that come to a wicket-keeper, 50% are chances. So, you’re always there because you know that whatever will come to me, there’ll be a chance – either it is a run-out or a catch or a stumping because you see hardly batters missing balls in T20 games, which are only 120 deliveries.”

“So, having a concentration for that period, sometimes it’s not that challenging. The moment it becomes a longer version of the game, the biggest challenge is one technique – all these guys do have that sort of technique. Then temperament comes into the picture and concentration will be there as well.”

“It’s very important to see what sort of wickets they’re going to play in this Duleep Trophy, because come home series, whatever people say, you always play on a result-oriented wicket and mostly the result-oriented wicket means a bit of a turning track.”

“So, the concentration is going to be a big challenge when you shift from white-ball cricket to red-ball cricket, and you have got to be bit technically really strong when you’re keeping in a longer version of the game,” added Dahiya, who was Delhi head coach when Pant made his Ranji Trophy debut in October 2015.

He also highlighted the need for mental toughness and sharpness while wicketkeeping in the longer format. “Mentally as a wicketkeeper, you need to be one of the strongest as far as your squad and team is concerned because you’re a captain without a captain. You don’t need that title to be a captain; you’re a fielding captain anyways.”

“Its because that you’re helping your captain by letting him know what the field placement can be, how the pitch is playing, how the batter is playing, and in which phase you can use which bowler. So in all those things, a wicketkeeper is a very, very important part of any side.”

Besides Pant, Ishan Kishan is gradually resuming to play red-ball cricket. Kishan made a comeback to red-ball cricket for Jharkhand in the Buchi Babu Invitational tournament, after missing the entire Ranji Trophy last season -making scores of 114, 1, and 5.

Kishan will aim to build on that form in the Duleep Trophy, where he’s part of the India D playing against India C in Anantapur on September 5. “As far as Ishan’s skill set is concerned, there was no question mark on it. There was something that I don’t want to get too deeply into it, but it was that he wasn’t playing or whatever he was not happy with.”

“He came back from an international tour and after that he missed the full season for his state. Keeping all those things aside, if you just ask me about his potential, it’s phenomenal and he’s shown it. As somebody who can score a double hundred at the international level, it tells you about the capability of a player,” added Dahiya, who previously worked with IPL franchises Kolkata Knight Riders and Lucknow Super Giants.

Amidst this, Dhruv Jurel’s performance in Team A during the Duleep Trophy will be closely watched. Jurel emerged as an unexpected hero in India’s last three Test wins against England, showcasing his exceptional glovework and impressive batting in Ranchi.

“I really love that kid. I had seen him play for Uttar Pradesh when I was their coach in domestic cricket and I could see that his glovework and collection of the ball was so good. But what has always stood out for me about Dhruv has been his temperament, which was very much clear in the Test matches he played for India.”

“I remember meeting Rohit Sharma sometime after the Test series, and he was really raving about the temperament Dhruv showed in the matches against England. I have always felt that this kid has a really long way to go, like he showed he can finish games for his team in the IPL.”

“Once he finds himself well-settled in the national set-up, then his temperament and skills will develop even more to be of great use for the Indian team in future,” stated Dahiya, who currently sees Pant and Dhruv as front-runners for the two wicketkeeper slots in India’s squad for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Jurel’s inclusion, along with Pant and Kishan on the comeback trail, and players like KS Bharat, Kumar Kushagra, N Jagadeesan, Abishek Porel, and Aryan Juyal in the mix, highlights a strong group of wicketkeepers picked for the Duleep Trophy.

“It’s a very good pool as far as the wicketkeepers are concerned. It’s also good that we are starting from Duleep Trophy as you are looking at a longer format. Everyone knows what kind of batters are there – like some are experienced, while others have some amazing potential.”

“But the interesting thing is that when we play outside home, and when I see this team, and new coach, I feel that the kind of challenge that will be there, or the one they want to take, it will all be based on the kind of team they want outside home. So, in that case, you need to look at your wicket-keeper as an all-rounder.”

“The last time around when we were travelling to Australia, Rishabh Pant was phenomenal with the bat and turned the matches in favour of India. So, it will be very important to see him as well. But it’s exciting to see the pool at the moment,” concluded Dahiya.