CHENNAI: Irony really loves to show itself in the most sardonic way possible. On last Christmas eve, MS Dhoni had found his way back into the ODI squad for Australia. That was at the expense of Rishabh Pant, a young player whose style of cricket is perceived to be suited best to the white ball, even if he has been in and out of the Men in Blue’s scheme of things.

For the irony of that exclusion to truly manifest itself, you just need to jog your memory back to the events that saw Pant being handed his Test cap last year. A Wriddhiman Saha injury and two Dinesh Karthik failures simultaneously coupled with a few hastened India A appearances later, the Haridwar boy was thrown into the deep end in England. Included in Tests despite many perceiving his cricketing CV as a predominantly white-ball one.

Cut to Australia. Pant has now done a lot of things against the red ball. Heck, he started off his run-tally with a six. He became the first India stumper to score a ton in England. He’s probably the first wicketkeeper in the world who can consider babysitting as an alternative career. All this despite constantly coming under the cosh for treating his wicket like it was an old Nokia phone.

Those criticisms aren’t unreasonable. You don’t need to go further than the failed heave-hos he’s attempted against all spinners he’s faced in this format. Or how pacers in England and Australia have exposed his two-notch batting gearshift, one that doesn’t have an option called “rotate strike”.

“Attacking is his natural game, and hence he will play that way unless the situation really demands otherwise,” remarked former India wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia. “Yes, you do need the ability of downing the shutters when the team really needs it. But players inculcate those traits as they get more matches under their belt. He’s still young and has a big career in front of him.”

Like Mongia rightly pointed out, we all keep forgetting that Nottingham was just five months ago, and that Pant is just 21 years old. Or the fact that in most situations, the ostensible mandate for Pant from his management is to just “go out all guns blazing”.

In all probability, the same order had been issued to Pant at Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday. Rightly so. Cheteshwar Pujara and his refusal to budge had left Australia’s bowlers rubber-legged. Perhaps that stubbornness rubbed off on the young southpaw, who too seemed to bide his time for a change. Pujara’s awaited double ton didn’t arrive. But with his dismissal, the green signal for Pant to unleash mayhem — in the company of Ravindra Jadeja — did.

Sweeps. Reverse sweeps. Thumping cover drives. Walloping golf swings. Disdainful flicks. Controlled pulls. Australia’s already-winded bowlers were hung, drawn and quartered by Pant and Jadeja for a seventh wicket stand that swelled India’s tally by 204 runs in just 224 balls. His second ton — the first for an India stumper in Australia — was blazed to. “When he gets going, Pant is a delight to watch. He backs himself when he’s at the crease. Yes, his wicketkeeping is a work in progress, but over time, I feel even that too won’t be questioned,” observed Mongia.

The “work-in-progress” bit about Pant’s glovework did reveal itself when Australia came out to bat (he shelled an Usman Khawaja sitter with the southpaw on duck). But that story can wait for later. After all, he and India have Kip-Upped to stand only three days away from a New Year gift to remember.

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Rishabh Pant’s 159 not out is the second-highest Test score by a visiting wicketkeeper in Australia, behind only AB de Villiers’ 169 in Perth, 2012.

21y 92d
He is the second youngest to score 150 in Tests after Zimbabwe’s Tatenda Taibu. Taibu scored 153 against Bangladesh in 2005.

Scoreboard
India first innings (o/n 303/4)
Pujara c & b Lyon 193, Vihari c Labuschagne b Lyon 42, Pant n.o 159, Jadeja b Lyon 81. Extras (b2, lb13, w5) 20. Total (7 wkts dec, 167.2 ovs) 622. FoW: 5-329, 6-418, 7-622. Bowling: Starc 26-0-123-1, Hazlewood 35-11-105-2, Cummins 28-5-101-0, Lyon 57.2-8-178-4, Labuschagne 16-0-76-0, Head 4-0-20-0, Khawaja 1-0-4-0
Australia 1st innings
Harris (batting) 19, Khawaja (batting) 5. Extras 0. Total (0 wkts, 10 ovs) 24. Bowling: Shami 3-0-9-0, Bumrah 3-0-12-0, Jadeja 2-1-1-0, Yadav 2-1-2-0.