Loving it: Rishabh Pant recalls emotional Chennai hundred celebration on Test return

India vs Bangladesh, Chennai Test: Rishabh Pant explained his emotional celebration after a superb hundred on his Test comeback in India's thumping victory over Bangladesh in the first Test.

In Short

• Rishabh Pant was emotional after scoring a superb hundred
• Pant said this 100 was special because he loved playing in Chennai
• India beat Bangladesh by 280 runs to take a 1-0 series lead

Star Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant recalled his emotional celebration after his superb hundred on his Test comeback in India's 280-run win over Bangladesh in the Chennai Test. Pant's remarkable comeback from injury after a horrific car accident in December 2022 made the century even more meaningful.

Pant (109) led an alliance of 167 for the fourth wicket with Shubman Gill that helped India, overnight 81/3, declare their second innings at 287 for 4 for an overall lead of 514. Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja took 9 wickets between them to bundle Bangladesh out for 234 on Sunday morning.

Pant's celebration, after reaching his sixth Test hundred with a two off Shakib Al-Hasan, was a moment of reflection. Standing in the middle of the pitch, Pant closed his eyes, raised his bat, and tilted his head upward, appearing to offer a silent prayer of gratitude.

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Reflecting on the emotional moment, Pant said, "This 100 was special because I love playing in Chennai. After my injury, I wanted to play in all three formats, and this was my first [Test] match after coming back. It was emotional, I wanted to score in each and every match, which didn't happen earlier, but coming back to Test cricket, which is where I belong the most, made it special."

The wicketkeeper's resilience was evident, as he admitted to Sports18 that the innings held deep personal significance. Pant and Gill's partnership helped India recover from a precarious 81/3 overnight, and their combined efforts secured India's firm control of the match.

"I just enjoyed batting and got a little bit emotional. But at the end of the day, being in the field gives me more pleasure than anything else. I try to read the situation in my own way. When you are 30-3, you need to stitch a partnership. That's what Gill and I did," Pant explained.

INDIA TAKE 1-0 SERIES LEAD

India extended their unbeaten home record in Test cricket with a resounding 280-run victory over Bangladesh at Chepauk, taking a 1-0 lead in the two-match series. India, undefeated at home since 2012, now have the chance to win their 18th consecutive Test series on home soil.

Asked to bat first in overcast conditions, India stumbled to 144/6, with Yashasvi Jaiswal top-scoring among the top six with 56. However, a crucial 199-run partnership between Ravindra Jadeja (86) and Ravichandran Ashwin (113) rescued India, propelling them to 376. Bangladesh's Hasan Mahmud shone with a five-wicket haul, becoming the first from his nation to achieve the feat in India.

In response, Bangladesh crumbled to 149, with Jasprit Bumrah leading India's charge with 4/50. Shakib Al Hasan's 32 was the only bright spot for the visitors, leaving India with a substantial 227-run lead. In their second innings, India declared at 287/4, thanks to centuries from Shubman Gill (119*) and Rishabh Pant (109), setting Bangladesh a daunting target of 515.

Despite a strong start from openers Zakir Hasan (33) and Shadman Islam (35), Bangladesh faltered as India's spinners took control. Najmul Hossain Shanto's 82 provided some resistance, but Ravichandran Ashwin's 6/88 dismantled the lower order, earning him his 37th Test five-wicket haul, tying him with Shane Warne. India bowled Bangladesh out for 234, securing a dominant win and maintaining their stranglehold on the home Test.