Rishabh Pant’s remarkable comeback from a horrific car crash has once again cemented his status as one of India’s most indispensable cricketers. After missing over a year of action, Pant returned to competitive cricket with the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2024, followed by a triumphant T20 World Cup victory with the national team.
However, Pant’s exclusion from the captaincy of India B in the Duleep Trophy raised questions about his leadership credentials. Despite his impressive performances in the subsequent Test series against Bangladesh and New Zealand, the decision to overlook him as captain left many cricket experts perplexed.
Former India cricketer Aakash Chopra has questioned the rationale behind this move, highlighting Pant’s exceptional performances since his return. “When the Duleep Trophy teams were picked, Rishabh Pant was selected, but Abhimanyu Easwaran was the captain of that team. Pant featured as a player but not a captain in that tournament. We were left wondering if he is no longer a captaincy candidate,” said Chopra.
Chopra further praised Pant’s resilience and dominance in Test cricket, emphasizing his ability to play with confidence and hit sixes while also possessing a solid defensive game. “He is the only one who can play with dominance, playing with so much confidence, he can hit sixes and has the defensive game,” said Chopra.
Pant’s performances have led to renewed calls for him to be considered as a captaincy candidate. His ability to lead from the front and inspire his teammates has been evident in his recent performances. Whether or not he is given the captaincy in the future remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that Pant has once again proven his immense value to the Indian cricket team.
