Rishabh Pant in action© AFP
India’s batting order collapse against Australia in the first Test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy at Perth meant that the team were once again left to rely on Rishabh Pant to stabilise things in the middle. Coming in to bat at 32/3, Pant once again had to take the responsibility of taking India out of a tricky situation. While Pant could not accelerate in his usual high strike rate, he still found time to pull off another unique shot, leaving the commentators in absolute awe.
Pant came across and scooped a ball pitched on off stump towards the fine leg boundary for six. In doing so, the 27-year-old almost lost his balance, making the shot look even more incredible.
As only Rishabh Pant can do!#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/vupPuWA8GG
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2024
“That’s a Rishabh!”: former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar said after the end of the India innings.
This was a trademark shot of Pant as the young wicket-keeper is widely known for providing India with moment with his unique shot selection.
Talking about the match, Josh Hazlewood grabbed four wickets as Australia’s red-hot pace attack tore through the Indian batting to dismiss the visitors for 150 at tea on day one of the opening Test.
After captain Jasprit Bumrah won the toss, India lost six wickets in the middle session, including flamboyant Rishabh Pant (37) and impressive debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy (41).
Hazlewood took 4-29 while Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Marsh and Pat Cummins all claimed two wickets each.
After a crushing 3-0 home series defeat by New Zealand, India sprung a surprise at the toss by dropping veteran spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, allrounder Ravindra Jadeja and middle-order batsman Sarfaraz Khan.
Coupled with the absence of opener and regular skipper Rohit Sharma following the birth of a child, and without injured number three Shubman Gill, it left India with a fragile batting lineup which Australia exploited.
(With AFP Inputs)
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