Rishabh Pant's Remarkable Comeback: Is He India's Greatest Wicketkeeper-Batter?

Rishabh Pant’s recent return to Test cricket has generated considerable interest, especially following his serious car accident in December 2022.

Many wondered how he would perform after such a setback. However, he silenced doubts with a brilliant innings of 109 runs against Bangladesh in the opening Test in Chennai.

After reaching his century, Pant raised his bat to the sky in gratitude for being back on the field.

He also built a solid partnership with Shubman Gill, adding 167 runs together, marking India’s second-highest fourth-wicket stand in a Test second innings.

With this century, Pant equalled MS Dhoni’s record of six centuries as an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, achieving this in just 58 innings, compared to Dhoni’s 144.

Pant has accumulated 2,419 runs in Test cricket, boasting an average of 44.79, while Dhoni has 4,876 runs at an average of 38.09.

This raises an intriguing question: Is Pant becoming a better wicketkeeper-batter than Dhoni?

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra has stated that Pant is now “India's greatest wicketkeeper-batter in Test cricket.” He likened Pant's aggressive approach to that of Virender Sehwag and mentioned that comebacks are often more challenging than debuts. Surprisingly, Test cricket appears to be Pant's strongest format.

Sanjay Manjrekar also noted that Pant matching Dhoni’s record was expected, given their different roles in the batting order.

He pointed out that Dhoni usually batted lower down, while Pant has taken on the No. 5 position in Tests. Manjrekar added that if Pant had converted more of his near-centuries into hundreds, he might have even twelve to his name.

Ajay Jadeja suggested that comparing the two directly isn’t fair.

Dhoni played alongside several batting greats, while Pant brings his own unique qualities to the game. Jadeja emphasised Pant’s exceptional ability and encouraged people to enjoy his performances rather than focus solely on comparisons with Dhoni.

In conclusion, Rishabh Pant's impressive return has sparked discussions about his role in Indian cricket, particularly in relation to the legendary MS Dhoni.

His recent performances clearly show that Pant is making a significant mark in Test cricket.