India have taken an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series against Afghanistan having beaten them in Mohali and Indore. The final match of the series will be played in Bengaluru tomorrow (January 17).

During India’s practice session on the eve of the third T20I, a special guest made an appearance. Rishabh Pant, who has been out of action in competitive cricket for more than a year after suffering a near-fatal accident, was present in the Indian camp. He was seen chatting animatedly with Virat Kohli and Rinku Singh in a video that has gone viral from the practice session.

Presumably, Pant might have been at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru to continue his rehabilitation, allowing him easy access to the venue and the Indian squad.

According to reports, Pant is expected to return to action in IPL 2024. If he does, it would mark his first competitive cricket assignment since his accident in December 2022.

The last time India played a T20I in Bengaluru was in December 2023 against Australia, which they won by six runs. Shreyas Iyer scored a fifty while Mukesh Kumar was the pick of the bowlers, taking three wickets in that match.

Watch Rishabh Pant chat with Virat Kohli and Rinku Singh at India practice at the Chinnaswamy Stadium:

Virat Kohli and Rishabh pant at Chinnaswamy Stadium 😍🔥 pic.twitter.com/VnjwvBOnTo

— Virat Kohli Fan Club (@Trend_VKohli) January 16, 2024