The slog sweeps were coming out just right. So were the reverse and the occasional lap. The lofted shot, after a dance down the track, flowed naturally. The short-pitched deliveries were dealt with the pull shot. It has been 18 months since Rishabh Pant last played a red-ball match but the format that made him a household name never left his system.

The Indian wicketkeeper-batter, who has already made successful comebacks in the T20I and ODI formats after a long injury layoff following a horrific car accident in December 2022, is now eyeing a return to his favourite format. The India vs Bangladesh two-match Test series that starts on September 19 in Chennai is set to mark Pant's return to red-ball cricket. But before that, he will go through the grinds of the Duleep Trophy.

Pant shared the first glimpse of training session ahead of the four-team tournament that is aimed to give a platform to India's Test probable quality match-practice before the home season begins.

Pant posted a video on Instagram of him practising in the nets. "I try not to have expectations because they can tend to tear you apart. I try to work as hard as I possibly can and give every ounce of a hundred percent & keep Learning from it. #RP17."

Rishabh Pant prepares for Duleep Trophy

Pant will represent India B, which Abhimanyu Easwaran will lead.

After a life-threatening road accident in December 2022, Pant made his comeback to competitive cricket during the Indian Premier League (IPL), captaining Delhi Capitals. DC finished in the sixth spot with seven wins, seven losses, and 14 points and failed to move to playoffs. He scored 446 runs in 13 matches at a strike rate of over 155 with three half-centuries and emerged as the team's top run-getter.

Pant was also a vital member of India's ICC T20 World Cup-winning team. He was the third-highest run-getter for India in their T20 World Cup triumph. He amassed 171 runs at an average of 24.42 in eight matches and also contributed with his skills behind the stumps with 14 dismissals, the most by a wicketkeeper in a single T20 WC edition. His influential performances helped India end their 13-year-long ICC World Cup drought.

With the two-match Bangladesh Test series starting at home from September 19 onwards, all eyes will be on Pant's performance in red-ball cricket during the Duleep Trophy, where he will be playing for India B. Pant is one of India's key red-ball batters, having put on various match-turning performances, be it in wins or loss.

In 33 Tests since 2018, he has scored 2,271 runs at an average of 43.67, with a strike rate of over 73. In 56 innings, he has scored five centuries and 11 fifties, with his best score being 159*.

In particular, fans would be excited to see him play in Border-Gavaskar Trophy against Australia from November 22 onwards. Pant has a fine record in Australia, scoring 624 runs in seven matches and 12 innings on Australian soil at an average of over 62, with a century and two half-centuries. His best score is 159*.

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