Rishabh Pant's Red-Ball Revival: Eyes on More Contenders

Rishabh Pant's return to red-ball cricket will be closely observed in the Duleep Trophy, starting Thursday. As he plays for Team B, selectors will also monitor other wicketkeeper-batters and potential bowling back-ups ahead of a critical Test season ending with the World Test Championship Final.

Rishabh Pant's return to red-ball cricket will be closely watched in the Duleep Trophy, commencing Thursday across Bengaluru and Anantapur. The national selectors aim to identify suitable backup options alongside frontline players.

Pant, after recovering from a severe car accident, is yet to play in longer-duration matches since his last red-ball appearance against Bangladesh in December 2022. He will represent Abhimanyu Easwaran-led Team B against Shubman Gill's Team A at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.

While Pant's performance in shorter formats has been commendable, this four-day tournament presents a unique challenge, requiring him to bat and keep wickets for an undefined number of overs.

(With inputs from agencies.)