Rishabh Pant made a triumphant return to red-ball cricket after a 21-month hiatus during the initial round of matches in the 2024 Duleep Trophy. The talented Indian wicketkeeper-batsman featured in the India B squad, captained by Abhimanyu Eashwaran, which emerged victorious against India A at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.
Pant is not only recognized as one of the premier wicketkeeper-batsmen in the world of Test cricket, but also as a captivating entertainer on the field. His presence at the crease keeps fans on the edge of their seats, while his antics behind the stumps never fail to amuse.
Known for his lively demeanor and constant chatter on the stump-mic, Pant's playful banter was on full display during today's Duleep Trophy match. Kuldeep Yadav, Pant's teammate in the Indian national team and the Delhi Capitals, found himself at the receiving end of Pant's humorous remarks, adding an element of light-heartedness to the intense competition.
During the final moments of the match on Sunday, the amusing banter between Pant and Kuldeep garnered widespread attention on social media. As Kuldeep focused on batting to secure a victory for India A, Pant displayed his playful nature. The Indian wicketkeeper directed his teammates to close in and prevent Kuldeep from scoring any runs. In response to Pant's instructions, Kuldeep humorously declared that he would not attempt to take a single run.
“Kha le Maa kasam Nahi lega (Take mother swear that you will not take a single)," said Pant.
A few minutes later, Pant and Kuldeep engaged in another animated conversation, during which Pant instructed his fielders to allow him to take a single as he had devised a brilliant plan. Kuldeep, in turn, questioned Pant's apparent stress.
India B emerged victorious over India A by a margin of 76 runs in the recent game. Pant's performance in the first innings was lackluster, as he only managed to score seven runs with the bat. However, he redeemed himself in the second innings with a quick-fire knock of 61 runs off just 47 balls. On the other hand, Kuldeep was only able to secure one wicket throughout the match.
The standout player of the game was Musheer Khan, who delivered an impressive performance by scoring 181 runs in the first innings on his Duleep Trophy debut for India B. Despite being on the losing side, Akash Deep had a remarkable outing, taking a total of nine wickets in the match (4 in the first innings, 5 in the second innings) and contributing with a quick-fire knock of 43 runs off 42 balls in the second innings.
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