Rishabh Pant makes disappointing return to Ranji Trophy
What's the story
Rishabh Pant's much-anticipated return to the Ranji Trophy turned out to be a damp squib on Thursday.
The wicketkeeper-batter managed to score just one run off 10 balls for Delhi in their match against Saurashtra at the Niranjan Shah Stadium Ground C in Rajkot.
This was Pant's first appearance in the tournament since December 2017, when he had scored 53 runs against Vidarbha.
Return reason
Pant's return to domestic cricket mandated by BCCI
Pant's return to the Ranji Trophy was also driven by a new mandate from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The board has made it mandatory for international players to play domestic cricket.
His last appearance in this tournament was as Delhi's captain in the final of the 2017-18 season against Vidarbha.
Leadership decision
Pant declines captaincy, boosts team morale
Despite having led the side earlier, Pant refused the captaincy for the Saurashtra match.
This enabled Ayush Badoni to continue leading Delhi, which is currently placed fourth in Group D.
Badoni said Pant's presence has greatly lifted the team's morale and he is looking forward to guidance from him as a new captain.
Skill sharing
Pant shares expertise with Delhi's spinners
Pant was spotted training hard with the team at the Niranjan Shah Stadium.
He gave Delhi's spinners tips on what length to bowl at a net session.
After batting, he spoke to Arpit Rana and Sanat Sangwan, giving the young players some useful batting tips.
Match strategy
Delhi's strategy for turning track against Saurashtra
Delhi skipper Badoni expects a turning track and a result-oriented match against Saurashtra.
He disclosed that the team has been preparing against left-arm spin on turning pitches for the last 10 days.
Meanwhile, Saurashtra, placed fifth in Group D, requires outright wins in its last two games to qualify for the knockouts.