Coming back to Test cricket, where I belong the most, is special, says Pant

Chennai, Sep 22 (IANS) Returning to Test cricket after a long wait of 637 days, India wicketkeeper batter Rishabh Pant said coming back to Test cricket, where he truly belongs, brings him more joy than anything else.

Returning to Test cricket for the first time since December 2022, Pant smashed his sixth Test hundred (109) and equalled the record for the most hundreds by an Indian wicketkeeper in Test history.

The 26-year-old matched former India skipper MS Dhoni's tally of six Test tons, combining with Shubman Gill (119) with a 167-run partnership in India's second innings against Bangladesh. While Dhoni's six tons have come in 144 innings, Pant has gotten there in just 58 innings.

"I think definitely a lot special (the century). Firstly, I love playing in Chennai and secondly, after injury, I was looking to play all three formats, this was my first match in this format and hopefully I did better. Definitely it was emotional, I was looking to score runs in each and every game," Pant told the broadcasters after India's 280-run win over Bangladesh in the first Test on Sunday.This latest hundred is also his first since returning to international cricket, with the last one coming more than two years ago. This was also Pant's second Test century at home, having made his first one against England in Ahmedabad in 2021. The wicketkeeper-batter has Test centuries in Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia."Coming back to Test cricket, where I belong the most, being on the field gives me pleasure more than anything else.I tried to read the situation in my own way, When you are 30-3, you need to stitch a partnership and that's what I did with Gill. To do it with a guy who I have a great relationship with is special," he said.India skipper Rohit Sharma also heaped praise on Pant for his display on his comeback to red-ball cricket. "He's been through some really tough times. The way he has managed himself through those tough times was superb to watch. He came back in the IPL, followed by a very successful World Cup and this is the format he loves the most."For us, it was never about what is he going to do with the bat, we always knew what he had with the bat and with the gloves as well. It was just about giving him the game time. Credit to him as well, he went on to play Duleep Trophy and got ready for this Test match and had an impact straightaway in the game," said Rohit.