"Some 99s are better than 100s" - Fans praise Rishabh Pant for his game-changing knock in IND vs NZ 2024 1st Test
Rishabh Pant missed a well-deserved century in the ongoing first fixture between India and New Zealand on Saturday (October 19) in Bengaluru. William O'Rourke dismissed him for 99 off 105, as the keeper dragged the ball onto his stumps. This was the seventh time Pant had been dismissed in the 90s.
After India trailed by 356 runs in the first innings, Rohit Sharma (52) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (35) gave a good start to the hosts. Virat Kohli (70) and Sarfaraz Khan then added 136 runs together to reduce the deficit.
The duo of Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz (150) played game-changing knocks to help India gain control of the game. The southpaw's innings was a perfect mix of caution and aggression, as he was successful in putting the Black Caps under pressure.
Fans expressed their admiration for Pant's innings and his fearless approach in a crunch situation. Here's how they reacted
"He has been denied the 3 figure mark but one cannot stop appreciating the manner in which he played. Excellent knock from Pant which included some mind boggling shots," a fan tweeted.
"Rishabh Pant will be the player who will be remembered as the most impactful test batsman of this generation. People will remember even his 80s & 90s because it came when the team needed it the most," another posted.
Pant failed to surpass MS Dhoni's record of six Test centuries and become India's most successful keeper-batter. Nevertheless, some fans compared both keepers on their impact on the team's performance, albeit in different formats.
"Pant in Test Cricket is much like Dhoni was in ODIs for India. Plays impactful, match-winning innings in tough situations. I don’t think we have had a wicketkeeper in Test cricket who has been as successful and as impactful as Pant is," one noted.
"Rishabh for TEST 🏏 = Dhoni for ODI 🏏" a fan posted.
Here are some more reactions:
Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul's departure turns IND vs NZ 1st Test on its head
The Indian team lost three quick wickets before the tea break, as New Zealand made a major turnaround in the first Test fixture. After Sarfaraz Khan and Rishabh Pant perished, KL Rahul (12) and Ravindra Jadeja (5) were dismissed as well.
India are currently at 441/7, with Ravichandran Ashwin and Kuldeep Yadav at the crease. The hosts have secured a lead of 85 runs and will look to garner as many runs as possible in the last session of Day 4. For New Zealand, William O'Rourke emerged as the pick of the bowlers with three scalps.
It will be interesting to see if Ashwin and Yadav can help India gain a sizeable lead going into the final day.