Rishabh Pant played a innings to remember for a long, long time and scored 97 runs off 118 balls to give India a hope to save the SCG Test from nowhere. Coming in to bat after the departure of captain Ajinkya Rahane in the second over of Day 5, Pant started his innings with a lot of caution but one he got into the mix of things, runs flowed from his bat.
The pocket-sized dynamite played a counter-attacking knock, especially targeting Australia off-sinner Nathan Lyon, who was oozing confidence after dismissing Rahane. Chasing down a target of 407 runs, India need 309 with 8 wickets remaining on the final day.
Rishabh Pant came despite an elbow injury which he incurred after getting hit by a Pat Cummins short ball in the 1st innings of the Test. The southpaw did not take the field on Day 4 but came out all guns blazing after being promoted ahead of Hanuma Vihari. He smashed 12 fours and 3 sixes and stitched 148 runs with Pujara. The batsman got out three runs short of his third hundred. The 23-year-old looked shattered after the dismissal but fans have made sure to cheer him up, flooding the social media for appreciation posts for him.
Fucking Rishab legend pant #INDvAUS
— Amogh (@AmoghK18) January 11, 2021
He is damn pant don't consider him keeper batsman he is pure batsman other than keeper #AUSvIND #Rishab
— (@SUBBU0809) January 11, 2021
A counter-attacking 97 in a fourth innings chase in Australia.
Please keep this in mind the next time you are tempted to not back Pant.
At this age, he's this good, if he keeps working on the game, how good he'll turn out to be.
Team #PantFC forever! pic.twitter.com/6KFxdep8lr— Nikhil (@CricCrazyNIKS) January 11, 2021
The Best Knock Of 97 After The One Scored By Gautam Gambhir In The World Cup 2011 Final,
— Prathamesh Avachare (@onlyprathamesh) January 11, 2021
Way To Go Pant; Well Played! #AUSvIND #TeamIndia @RishabhPant17 @GautamGambhir
His comment
— Apocalypse (@Poignant_life) January 11, 2021
Pant was like in a family soap for the first 34 balls then turned into vigilante hero will be with me for a long time
Rishabh pant made our day .. We should take a bold step now and show Aussies our aggression by replacing Hanuman Vihari with Hardik Pandya ....Jai Ho
— Rupesh (@rpshk4) January 11, 2021
What an innings Rishabh Pant
— Vikram (@iamvikram2000) January 11, 2021
Missed his well deserved Century
You beauty... #INDvsAUS #RishabhPant @RishabhPant17
Though he didn't get the century, this was a magnificent innings from Rishabh Pant. Changed the course of the game #INDvAUS #Pant
— Nithu Krish (@KrishNithu) January 11, 2021