Rishabh Pant marks emotional Test comeback with record-equalling ton

Rishabh Pant added a cherry on top of his fairytale comeback, smashing his sixth Test century to equal the record for the most hundreds by an Indian wicketkeeper in Test history.

Pant matched MS Dhoni's tally of six Test tons at Chepauk, combining with Shubman Gill with a 167-run partnership in the second innings. While Dhoni's six tons have come in 144 innings, Pant got there in just 58 innings.

Pant also has six other scores in the nineties in the longest format, pushing his average to nearly 45 in 34 Test matches.

The latest is Pant's second Test century at home, having made his first one against England in Ahmedabad in 2021. The wicketkeeper-batter has Test centuries in Europe, Africa, Australia and Asia.

Since his debut, Pant has the most tons by a wicketkeeper in the longest format of the game. Litton Das with three centuries comes a distant second.

Speaking of his emotional comeback, Pant was very candid and admitted that Test cricket was where he belonged the most.

"Definitely, it was emotional because coming back I wanted to score in each and every match, which I couldn't do [in the first innings," Pant told after the Test win.

"But coming back to Test cricket, where I belong most is great. I enjoyed batting out there and just got a little bit emotional. But at end of the day, just being on the field gives me more pleasure than doing anything else."

In Pant's absence from cricket after his horrific accident in 2022, India tried four different wicketkeepers, with only Dhruv Jurel making a strong impression.

But such was the impact that Pant had in this format that he walked back into the playing XI and instantly justified the selection call to pick him over Jurel.

This latest hundred is also his first since returning to international cricket, with the last one coming more than two years ago.

With the tour Down Under looming later this year, Pant's strong statement knock will go a long way in reassuring India that they have the wicketkeeper conundrum sorted.

"After injury, I think I wanted to play all three formats and this was my first Test match after coming back, just loving it every day," Pant said.

India went on to beat Bangladesh in the first Test in Chennai with Ravichandran Ashwin playing a starring role with bat and ball.

The No.2 ranked ICC Men's Test all-rounder scored a hundred to lift India in the first innings and then went on to take a six-wicket haul in the final innings to seal a remarkable Test win at his home ground.