The main takeaway for India from the third day’s play of the first Test against Bangladesh in Chennai was not that the hosts once again called the shots, it was the resurgence of Rishabh Pant. The keeper-batter, while playing his first game in the longest format since his comeback to top-level cricket post an accident-induced absence, has rediscovered his red-ball flair. And that is a huge plus for India in a season which is packed with Test cricket.

Pant is enjoying his game. Besides cracking a characteristic century (109 off 128 balls), he was also seen setting the field at times during Saturday’s play.

Pant was not the lone star of the day though. Shubman Gill too hit a hundred, making 119. The two shared an aggressive 167-run partnership for the fourth wicket which helped India set a daunting 515-run target for the Bangladeshis.

Before bad light stopped play late in the third day’s final session, Ashwin had struck thrice while Jasprit Bumrah took one to reduce Bangladesh to 158/4 at stumps.

In their second essay, India had lost three wickets overnight for not too many on the board. But the overall lead was 308 with seven wickets in hand. That also gave
Pant just the kind of cushion he required to play his natural, instinctive game. With Gill, too, scoring at a steady pace, the keeper-batter was more at ease.

As soon as he completed his fifty, Pant was in his zone and switched on the demolition mode. On 82 at lunch on Saturday, he was still four short of Gill. But as play resumed in the post-lunch session, Pant waltzed past Gill to bring up his sixth Test hundred and join Mahendra Singh Dhoni as the keeper-batsman with the most Test centuries for India.

Yes, Pant got a lifeline on 72 off Shakib Al Hasan’s bowling when Bangladesh captain
Najmul Hossain Shanto dropped a dolly.

Just a few days ago, the Bangladesh ‘Tigers’ had preyed on Pakistan in Pakistan, but so far in this Test, they have only flattered to deceive.

Bangladesh’s loose cricket certainly made matters easier for Pant en route to his first international hundred since comeback. But what is of greater importance is the ease with which Pant unleashed his trademark shots. He looked at ease bending his back knee and playing the pick-up shot over fine leg off both quicks and spinners.

Pant is back, with a strong knee and stronger will.