WI vs IND: Ishan Kishan thanks Rishabh Pant after whirlwind maiden Test fifty

By India Today Sports Desk: Ishan Kishan thanked Rishabh Pant after his whirlwind maiden fifty on day four of the second Test against the West Indies on Sunday and revealed the conversation they had during their time at the NCA before the beginning of the series.

Pant has been on a challenging journey to recovery following a horrific car accident that occurred on December 30, 2022. The wicketkeeper’s resilience and determination have been evident throughout his recovery process. On January 16, 2023, he issued his first public statement since the accident, expressing gratitude for the support he had received from the BCCI, government authorities, fans, teammates, doctors, and physios. He confirmed that his surgery had been successful and that he was ready to face the challenges of his recovery journey.

West Indies vs India, 2nd Test Day 4: Report

Pant’s rehabilitation has been closely monitored by the BCCI, who reported on July 21, 2023, that the cricketer had made “significant progress.” Notably, Pant had resumed batting and keeping in the nets. This marked a significant milestone in Pant’s recovery, indicating his readiness to return to the cricket field.

Kishan had played a delightful knock on Sunday against the West Indies on day four of the second Test, which had the fans buzzing. The 25-year-old even played a Pant-esque one-handed six off Kemar Roach which had people on social media drawing parallels between the two.

Kishan even had the initials of Pant and his number on his bat as he scored 52 runs off just 34 balls as India set up a challenging total of 365 for West Indies to chase. Speaking after the day’s play on Sunday, Kishan thanked Pant and revealed that the two had a chat at the NCA as the former was preparing for the series against West Indies.

Kishan said he was looking for someone to help him with a few aspects of his batting.

“I was at NCA before coming here. I was practising there and Rishabh was also there for his rehab. He just got a few points for me. He asked me to you know, the bat position and everything because he, had seen me playing with him. We have played together so many matches. We have been together since U-19. So he knows how I play, what my mindset is. So you just help me a little bit with my bat position and everything, so otherwise I think I also wanted someone to tell me a few things about my batting and it was a great time for him to come and chat with me and really thankful for that,” said Kishan.