After a comeback and a half on the first day of the pink-ball practice game against Australia A, India bossed the second day with two centurions and two players scoring fifties as they took a 472-run lead.
After losing Prithvi Shaw early, Mayank Agarwal and Shubman Gill played good steady knocks with 60-plus score each to almost seal their place in the playing XI for the first test.
After those two got out, Hanuma Vihari and Rishabh Pant took over. Both hit centuries albeit contrasting ones to bat Australia A out of the game, finishing the day on 386/4.
Rishabh Pant, batted ahead of his competition in the playing XI, Wriddhiman Saha and justified it by playing a bludgeoning inninngs of 103*(73) to also have almost confirmed his place ahead of Saha.
After being left out of the limited-overs squads and coming off from a poor IPL, Pant needed to show why he is considered such a dangerous player.
With 9 fours and 6 sixes, Pant led an assault on the tired Australia A bowlers. He was at 81 and required 19 runs to complete his century in the last over of the day.
Pant hit four fours and a six to complete his another first-class hundred.
He's back @RishabhPant17 pic.twitter.com/ZBmGzqL65c
— Mahi (@i_stanKohli18) December 12, 2020
Seeing Pant back in his big-hitting form, Twitterati couldn't hold itself back as a flurry of memes in appreciation of his innings appeared after his counter-attacking knock.
While some of the users suggested that Pant might have sealed his place for the first Day-Night Test at Adelaide Oval, many users suggested that Pant showed everyone what he is capable of and still can make come backc into the Indian team in the white-ball squads.
Here are some of the reactions:
Fifty for @RishabhPant17 , from just 43 balls including 3 fours & 4 sixes. Keep going, Pant #AUSAvIND | #RishabhPant pic.twitter.com/LSlGfjxsrO
— Rishabh Pant FC (@PantFansClub) December 12, 2020
Absolutely loved the commentary in the last over from Allan Border because it summed up perfectly what Rishabh Pant was capable of. AB just made a joke thinking he'll go for it, but little did he realize Pant will actually go and not just attempt it, but pull it off too.
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) December 12, 2020
Rishabh pant after making century in 73 balls in test match pic.twitter.com/9HY1YtN9F7
— Sahil (@Nikal_Bsdk03) December 12, 2020
Rishabh pant after samshing century in warmup match#RishabhPant be like: pic.twitter.com/D5Hda8RthU
— ROCKO (@AvinashAanand3) December 12, 2020
After scoring 73 balls century in test match
Rishabh Pant :- pic.twitter.com/Rs1QYjy9YM
— Er.TANGENT Toxic_Nibba stan (@pra_tea_k) December 12, 2020
#INDvsAUSA Australian bowler seeing Rishabh Pant hitting them like it was a T20 match . Le Aus bowler to Pant :- pic.twitter.com/TiDvsJ7Z7P
— Siddharth Singh kashyap (@ShivamK46002928) December 12, 2020
#pant Rishabh Pant (to Urvashi Rautela) after hitting century today pic.twitter.com/SSRqXFVyhZ
— Rohit (@_NotReal_One) December 12, 2020
Rishabh Pant after scoring a 73 ball 100 in the practice match under lights #AUSAvIND pic.twitter.com/lU7FQdD0VU
— Subhajit Mukherjee (@Subhajit_37) December 12, 2020
Pant to Saha when he came to bat today:#AUSAvIND pic.twitter.com/uiOzCRBsKj
— Praveen (@iamPra98) December 12, 2020