Rishabh Pant's top 5 one-handed sixes
Rishabh Pant's flamboyance needs no introduction and his patented one-handed sixes are just a page out of the playbook. The wicketkeeper-batter uses the shot to great effect on the back of flawless execution and technique.
While the one-handed lofted shot strikes fear into the hearts of fans, he manages to clear the rope on most occasions in a nonchalant fashion. Pacers and spinners have equally fallen victim to the shot, which has been part of the youngster's arsenal for quite a while now.
On that note, let's revisit the southpaw's top five one-handed sixes.
#1 Pant against Tim Southee, 2nd T20I, 2021 - Ranchi
India hosted New Zealand for a three-match T20I series following the 2021 T20 World Cup. In the second T20I in Ranchi, the Men in Blue were handed a 154-run target following an excellent bowling performance by debutant Harshal Patel.
In response, KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma led the proceedings with a 117-run stand for the opening wicket. By the time the wicketkeeper came in to bat, the hosts were only 17 runs away from victory.
Rishabh Pant finishes things off in Style!
A one-handed six off Jimmy Neesham's bowling to help India to a comfortable series win with one more match still to go.
#INDvNZ
https://t.co/8v80mHGM9b
With victory in sight, the 24-year-old chose to finish things off in style by taking on Jimmy Neesham in the 18th over. Stepping out of the crease, he got a good connection with the ball as his bottom hand left the handle.
The ball proceeded to sail across the long-off boundary and into the stands as India registered a seven-wicket win.
#2 Pant against Hasan Ali, 2021 T20 World Cup - Dubai
India required the services of Pant during their group stage encounter against arch-rivals Pakistan at the 2021 T20 World Cup. Following a top-order collapse, the southpaw had to make his way into the middle inside the powerplay, with India reeling at 31-3.
The keeper-batter and then-skipper Virat Kohli focused on rebuilding the innings and ensured no more wickets fell for the time being. Once the Delhi-born batter settled down, he took on the Pakistani bowling attack.
He hit back-to-back sixes in the 11th over of the innings against Hasan Ali. Coming around the wicket, the right-arm pacer bowled into the stumps, prompting the left-handed batter to go for a slog. While he did not connect the shot with one hand off the handle, the ball ended up clearing the deep square leg boundary.
Switching sides to over the wicket, Ali proceeded to bowl the next delivery right into the slot. The young batter had a much better connection, despite once again using only one hand to clear the long-off fence. (Watch the twin sixes right here.)
While he scored a crucial 39 off 30 deliveries, India suffered a heart-breaking 10-wicket loss against the Babar Azam-led side.
#3 Pant against Jack Leach, 5th Test, 2022 - Edgbaston
The former Under-19 World Cup member's penchant for left-arm spinners, especially in the longest format, is well-known. England's Jack Leach has been on the wrong end against the swashbuckling batter on numerous occasions.
In the rescheduled fifth Test against England in July, India were tottering at 64-3 when the flamboyant batter came to the crease. He proceeded to put on a record-partnership with Ravindra Jadeja, who went on to score his first overseas hundred.
A 101m Six is fine but a One handed 101m Six is insane!
#RishabhPant https://t.co/kKQz5HtCna
His partner, on the other hand, announced his intention to change gears after reaching his fifty in the 43rd over. The wicketkeeper-batter proceeded to score a ridiculous one-handed six off the English left-arm spinner. The shot not only cleared the boundary, it covered a distance of 101 meters, leaving everyone in awe.
However, the 24-year-old's spectacular 146 was not enough for India to win the match. The Ben Stokes-led side constructed an eye-boggling run chase to draw the series 2-2.
#4 Pant against Jason Holder, 2nd T20I 2022 - Eden Gardens
The Men in Blue enjoyed a rampant home season following the debacle at the 2021 T20 World Cup. Among several clean sweeps, a dominant series win over West Indies stands out.
In the second T20I, Pant was handed a tricky task after coming into bat in the 14th over. The wicketkeeper-batter went all guns blazing to help India cross the 180-run mark. In the process, he scored an outrageous shot off Jason Holder in the penultimate over.
Coming around the wicket, the Windies all-rounder bowled a lavish full-toss, which was dispatched by the batter for a one-handed six on the leg-side boundary. (Watch the video of the stroke right here.)
The flamboyant batter's unbeaten fifty helped India edge out West Indies by seven runs and secure the series with a game to spare.
#5 Pant against Dhananjaya de Silva, 1st Test 2022 - Mohali
India secured a dominant 2-0 series win over Sri Lanka in the two-match Test series at home earlier this year. In the first Test at Mohali, which was also Rohit Sharma's first contest as full-time skipper in the longest format, India produced quality cricket to win the match by a massive margin of 222 runs.
In the first innings, Sri Lanka kept the field back for the aggressive left-handed batter, who was on a rampage. Batting on 76 off 82 deliveries, the southpaw took on off-spinner Dhananjaya de Silva.
https://t.co/e2CyjaaTjK
Coming down the track, he got to the pitch off the ball and hoicked it straight down the ground. The fielders at long-on and long-off were merely spectators as the ball found its way deep into the stands.
Unfortunately, the youngster was dismissed for 96, marking yet another instance where he perished in the nervous nineties.