From near-fatal accident to test victory: Inder Pant enjoys an emotional journey

What was supposed to be a surprise visit to his mother in December 2022 went horribly wrong when the car Pant was driving on that fateful Friday morning crashed into a central barrier, overturned and caught fire.

He underwent numerous surgeries and wondered if he would ever play again before returning to competitive cricket in the Indian Premier League this year.

The 26-year-old was part of the Indian team that won the T20 World Cup in June, but ahead of the two-Test series against Bangladesh, doubts remained over whether he could handle the rigors of five-day cricket.

In his first Test since that horrific accident, Pant scored 39 before exploding in the second innings to score 109 off 128 balls, equalling idol Mahendra Singh Dhoni's record of six Test hundreds as an Indian wicketkeeper.

After reaching the mark on Saturday, Pant looked up to the sky and blew a kiss in muted jubilation.

“It was emotional because when I came back I wanted to score in every single game and I didn't manage to do that in the first innings,” Pant said after India beat Bangladesh by 280 runs in their series opener on Sunday.

“But it’s great to be back to Test cricket, where I belong most.

“I enjoyed hitting out there and I got a little emotional. But at the end of the day, I enjoy just being on the field more than anything else.”

Pant is a real asset with his ability to produce match-winning shots and it is no surprise that he can boast of the team's unconditional support.

Ahead of the match against Bangladesh, India head coach Gautam Gambhir made it clear that players like Dhruv Jurel, who impressed behind the wickets in the Test series against England, will have to wait for their chance.

Indian captain Rohit Sharma praised Pant’s return to the long-distance format.

“Look, he has been through some really tough times and it has been great to see how he has overcome those tough times,” Rohit said.

“This is the format he loves the most. For us, it was never about what he would do with the bat. We always knew what he was capable of with the bat and also with the gloves.

“It was just about getting him back in the game and giving him playing time.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without any modifications.