Shamik Chakrabarty in Chennai
Bangladesh were taken care of in less than four days. There was nothing surprising in India’s resounding win in the first Test at Chepauk, notwithstanding that Najmul Hossain Shanto’s side were riding high after a 2-0 series win in Pakistan. At the post-match press conference, the Bangladesh captain was asked to compare the challenges they faced against Pakistan with playing against a world-class outfit like India. He chose to be politically correct.
Pakistan don’t have an all-round bowling attack like India, with Jasprit Bumrah being the jewel in the crown. They don’t have the luxury of playing two first-class all-rounders down the order. They don’t have someone like Rishabh Pant who can take the game away from the opposition irrespective of conditions and situations.
From the hosts’ point of view, a major takeaway from the first Test will be the way they fought back from 144/6 in the first innings. Once India had reached 376, the game was done and dusted. It was important from India’s point of view to get into the red-ball groove, with an eye to a long Test season. A lot of boxes were ticked, although Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli would like to get some runs in the next Test in Kanpur.
The most heartening thing about India’s performance was probably Pant’s century. The wicketkeeper-batter was coming back to the Test fold after a gap of 629 days and the way he adjusted to the demands of the five-day format was wonderfully creditable. No wonder that the team took a lot of heart from his performance.
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Ravichandran Ashwin, the Player of the Match, described Pant’s comeback as a “Godsend”. “I don’t think Rishabh’s form or ability was ever going to be in question at all,” said the off-spinner at the post-match press conference. “I think it’s the way he has come back and he has put himself on the field that is quite miraculous, which is probably godsend, if I can say that. It depends on the belief of the people.”
Actually, the team was never in doubt about Pant making a successful comeback. The BCCI and his teammates supported him, when the left-hand batter-keeper was recovering from a horror car crash. The dressing room atmosphere has contributed to his emphatic return. “He always had the backing of the team,” said Ashwin. “So yeah, it was always going to happen. I was never in doubt.”
Pant admitted that it was “emotional” as he spoke to the host broadcaster. Test cricket is where he “belongs most”.
Rohit, too, lavished praise on the 26-year-old. “Pant has been through some tough times,” said India’s captain at the post-match presentation. “The way he has managed himself through those tough times has been superb to watch. He has done well in the IPL, the (T20) World Cup, and this is the format he loves the most. We always knew what he can do with the bat. Our focus was to give him game time. He did that in the Duleep trophy and now here.”
Ask Rohit about whether the home series against Bangladesh, followed by New Zealand, serve as a dress rehearsal for the tour Down Under in the winter, and he will stress upon the importance of winning every game. Deep down, however, this Indian team is quietly preparing for their biggest test. And they need Pant at his best to achieve success in Australia.
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