Rishabh Pant, known for his fiery presence behind the stumps, made a memorable return to red-ball cricket with his trademark banter during the Duleep Trophy clash between India A and India B in Bengaluru. After nearly two years away from the format, Pant was in full swing, mixing playful taunts with his usual on-field mischief. The highlight of his antics came on the final day of the match while India B was chasing a target set by India A.
In a comical twist during the 44th over, with Kuldeep Yadav batting alongside Akash Deep, Pant turned the field into his stage. As Kuldeep attempted to focus, Pant kept up a relentless stream of chatter, playfully urging him to take singles and strategizing loudly about his plans to dismiss him. His constant jibes had Kuldeep and the spectators in stitches, proving once again that Pant’s banter is as entertaining as his batting.
“Teri marzi hai, tu chakka maar ya single le. Bhai, lene do ise single. Iske liye bahut tagda plan banaya hai,” Pant jokingly remarked.
Kuldeep, who couldn’t control his laughter told Pant, “Thik hai bhai, kyun itna pareshan ho raha hai?”, to which Pant responded by saying, “Out hoja jaldi”.
He even boldly predicted that Kuldeep would be dismissed within the next three overs.
True to his prediction, just two overs later, Kuldeep sent a simple shot off Washington Sundar’s delivery straight to short extra-cover, where Musheer Khan made an easy catch.
When Kuldeep’s wicket fell, Pant was elated and was heard exclaiming: “Yeah, out ho gaya out ho gaya!”
Meanwhile Musheer Khan’s stunning first-innings performance of 181 laid the foundation for India B’s 76-run victory over India A. On the match’s opening day, Musheer captivated the crowd with a masterful display of patience and resilience, amassing an impressive 181 runs off 373 balls. His innings, which included 16 boundaries and 5 sixes, marked his third century in first-class cricket. Musheer’s innings was pivotal, rescuing India B from a precarious 94/7 and propelling them to a formidable 321. This substantial first-innings total not only gave India B a 90-run lead but also set the stage for their eventual triumph in the game.