Pant Reveals Rohit Offered “1 More Hour” to Score as Much as They Wanted

Rishabh Pant marked his return to Test cricket with a spectacular century in the second innings against Bangladesh in Chennai. The wicketkeeper-batter scored 109 runs off 128 balls, partnering with Shubman Gill to build a formidable 167-run partnership, setting a challenging target of 515 runs for the visitors.

Pant demonstrated his skill and fluency while facing the Bangladeshi bowlers on the third day of the first Test. Starting his innings at 34 off 67 balls, he reached 82 by the end of the morning session. After lunch, he accelerated his scoring, amassing 18 runs in just 16 balls to secure his sixth Test hundred. He struck a few more boundaries before being dismissed by Mehidy Hasan Miraz in the 56th over.

At just 25 years old, Pant exhibited impressive maturity, beginning his innings cautiously before unleashing his attacking style once settled.

In a post-match interview, Pant shared insights about his initial defensive approach, explaining that he wanted to protect his wicket. Discussing his aggressive mindset after lunch, he mentioned a conversation with captain Rohit Sharma: “When we came for lunch, there was a discussion about the innings declaration. Rohit bhai said, ‘We will bat for one more hour, whoever wants to score, can do so.’ So, I returned with the intent to score quickly. Who knows, I might hit 150?”

Captain’s Praise

India’s skipper, Rohit Sharma, commended Pant for his outstanding performance that put India in a dominant position. During the post-match presentation, Rohit expressed the team’s confidence in Pant, highlighting the importance of giving him game time to adjust after a two-year break.

“He’s faced some tough times, and it was impressive to see how he handled them. He returned in the IPL and then had a successful World Cup; this is the format he loves the most,” Rohit noted. “We never doubted his capabilities with the bat or behind the stumps; it was just about providing him the opportunity to play. Credit to him for participating in the Duleep Trophy and preparing well for this Test match, making an immediate impact,” he added.