Rishabh Pant's return to red-ball cricket in the Duleep Trophy was short-lived as he was dismissed for just 7 runs after facing 10 balls, with Shubman Gill making a stunning backward-running catch off Akash Deep's delivery. This marks Pant's first red-ball match since his car accident in December 2022. The Duleep Trophy has been revitalized with the participation of top Indian cricketers, serving as a critical platform for selection ahead of India's busy Test season. The tournament aims to help selectors find backup options for the national team, especially with upcoming series against Bangladesh and New Zealand. Pant is competing to reclaim his spot as India's first-choice wicketkeeper-batter amid competition from Dhruv Jurel and KL Rahul.