Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant turned out to be a hero with the bat as he played one of his finest knocks in international cricket. Pant played a powerful knock and scored a heroic 97 runs on the fifth and final day of the ongoing third Test match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Resuming the day on 98 for 2, while chasing a whopping target of 407 runs, team India was off to a disastrous start as they could manage to only four runs before the skipper Ajinkya Rahane was dismissed by Nathan Lyon.
Following Rahane’s dismissal, Pant walked in to bat and took the game by storm. He took charge of the innings in the company of Cheteshwar Pujara, helping team India score more than 100 runs in the morning session.
Though there were doubts about Pant’s fitness after he was hit on his left elbow while batting in the first innings of the match, however, the cricketer put all the doubts to rest with his stunning performance.
Though he started slow, scoring only 7 runs off 36 balls before switching gears. However, he soon found his pace and scored 50 off 64 balls. He rained back-to-back fours at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He also smashed 3 sixes as he took the attack to the hosts. Pant looked all set to bring in his century and needed only 3 runs to do so, however, he was dismissed off Lyon’s delivery that was caught by Pat Cummins. He scored 97 runs off 118 balls, smashing 12 fours and 3 sixes.
Meanwhile, as soon as Pant’s knock came to an end, social media was flooded with amazing reactions to the performance of Pant. From cricketers, experts to the fans, everyone is all praises for the heroic knock played by Pant.
Here, check out the reactions of twitterati:
Well played brother ! ?
https://t.co/XCMcSUvCjN
— Suresh Raina?? (@ImRaina) January 11, 2021
He may not have got his ? but @RishabhPant17 can be very proud at the way he batted. Got India back into the game with his aggressive stroke play. Well done young man. #AUSvIND
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 11, 2021
“A ship in the harbour is safe. But that’s not what ships are built for.” Rishabh Pant
— Dan Colasimone (@DanColasimone) January 11, 2021
Pant batting, I will always turn the TV on. Great innings comes to an end. A 100 was deserved. #INDvAUS #cricket
— Brad Hogg (@Brad_Hogg) January 11, 2021
Special knock that by Pant.#AUSvsIND
— Jason Gillespie ? (@dizzy259) January 11, 2021
What a knock. Keeper or not, I’d pick Pant! #AUSvIND #gameon
— Tim Macdonald (@timmacs) January 11, 2021
What a knock @RishabhPant17 – be proud of what you have done – that is one of the best counter attacking day 5 knocks by an Indian in the history of test cricket. Come on @cheteshwar1 and @Hanumavihari
— Parth Jindal (@ParthJindal11) January 11, 2021
पंत भला तो सब भला.
Wasn’t a century but what a helluva knock under pressure…fought the odds and the injury. #RishabhPant #AusvInd— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 11, 2021
Missed out on a 100 ? but @RishabhPant17 has shown India the way. They’ve got to believe that they can #IndvsAus
— Vikrant Gupta (@vikrantgupta73) January 11, 2021
Pant-astic batting display #brutal #AUSvIND @RishabhPant17 WE CAN ?
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) January 11, 2021
Great knock from Pant ? https://t.co/HHfOTAM9jh
— Damien Fleming (@bowlologist) January 11, 2021
The century wasn’t to be. But it is easily Pant’s best test innings. You can’t fault him the shot because it was many of those that offered a glimmer of victory when none believed it was possible.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 11, 2021
