Top 3 Rishabh Pant knocks in Test cricket in India
Rishabh Pant, who was once seen as an erratic batsman and a risk behind the stumps, has turned things around in spectacular fashion to cement his position in India's lineup in all three formats.
Even as his shorter-format returns have fluctuated, his Test career has seen a meteoric rise. In 49 innings, the southpaw has mustered 1831 runs at a healthy average of 40.69 and a strike rate of just below 70. He even has eight fifties and a quartet of centuries to his name.
At just 24 years of age, Rishabh Pant is the 11th-ranked batter in the ICC's Test rankings. He's an integral part of India's batting lineup, allowing them to field five bowlers without appearing to jeopardize the batting order.
Rishabh Pant in his test career till now ⬇️
114 in Oval , England
159* in Sydney , Australia
101 in Ahemdabad , India
100* in Capetown , South Africa
Best Indian wicketkeeper at this point of time or maybe in world too @RishabhPant17 💫 https://t.co/7iXn2TcB5E
On numerous occasions, Pant has bailed India out of trouble and put in spectacular performances, irrespective of conditions and opposition. While his overseas displays have been second to none, his record in India has also been impeccable. At home, the left-hander has scored 550 runs in seven matches with an excellent average of 68.75 and a strike rate of 86.4.
On that note, let's look at the three best knocks from Rishabh Pant's Test career in India so far.
#1 Rishabh Pant's best Test knocks in India: 101 off 118 balls vs England at Ahmedabad (2021)
Pant's fairytale run in 2021, which saw him play a leading role in India's famous win over Australia, continued as he notched up his maiden Test hundred on home soil in the fourth Test against England. It was also his third Test century.
Opting to bat first, England posted 205 runs in the first innings on a reasonably good pitch for batting at Ahmedabad. In reply, India had a dodgy start. They were 41-3 when skipper Virat Kohli was dismissed for a duck off Ben Stokes. Soon India were 80-4 when Ajinkya Rahane got out, leaving England on top.
Rishabh Pant against England...
🇮🇳🔥 Rishabh Pant against England...
Balls: 117
Runs: 101
Boundaries: 15
Incredible day at the office for the 23-year-old.
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This brought Pant into the middle. He was watchful early on before opening up with his dazzling strokeplay to put the pressure back on England. Pant steadied the Indian innings with two crucial partnerships. He first added 41 runs with Rohit Sharma (49) for the fifth wicket before adding 113 with Washington Sundar (96*).
Smashing 13 boundaries and a couple of sixes, the left-hander amassed 101 runs in 118 deliveries. He got to his ton by hitting a six off Joe Root over mid-wicket.
It was the same innings where he famously played an audacious reverse-sweep off veteran fast bowler James Anderson to move into the 90s. Courtesy of this fantastic innings by Pant, India got to a score of 365, gaining a first-innings lead of 160.
The hosts bundled out the visitors for just 135 and won the game by an innings and 25 runs.
#2 Rishabh Pant's best Test knocks in India: 92 off 132 balls vs West Indies at Hyderabad (2018)
Rishabh Pant missed out on his second Test century for India in the second Test against West Indies in Hyderabad, during the 2018 series.
After winning the toss, West Indies chose to bat first and posted a decent score of 311. Roston Chase scored a well-made 109, while for India, Umesh Yadav took a six-wicket haul.
In reply, Prithvi Shaw gave his side a brisk start and smashed 70 runs in just 53 balls. However, West Indies did well to make a comeback in the game and picked up two quick wickets.
Rishabh Pant equals MS Dhoni's record after being dismissed for 92 during India vs West Indies 2nd Test
READ: timesnownews.com/sports/cricket… https://t.co/8zs6ALZFN9
India were 162-4 when Rishabh Pant walked into bat. He was initially cautious, especially against Jason Holder, who was causing all sorts of problems for the Indians at the other end. Pant was ably supported by fellow middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane. Both Pant and Rahane put on a 152-run partnership for the 5th wicket.
Commanding his authority over the Caribbean spinners, Pant clobbered 11 boundaries and a couple of consecutive sixes against Jomel Warrican. Pant comfortably handled the second new ball and put away every bad ball that came to him.
The southpaw, who was then a 21-year-old, was India's highest run scorer in the innings. The home team lost their last six wickets inside 51 runs, which made Pant's contribution even more significant. Gaining a first innings lead of 56 runs, India bowled West Indies out for just 127 in the second innings.
In the end, the hosts comfortably won the game by 10 wickets. Umesh Yadav was named Man of the Match for picking up a 10-wicket haul in the game.
#3 Rishabh Pant's best Test knocks in India: 96 off 97 balls vs Sri Lanka at Mohali (2022)
![Rishabh Pant during the first Test vs Sri Lanka [Image: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/03/86b26-16464213120338-1920.jpg)
This one is the most recent of all. During the ongoing first Test against Sri Lanka in Mohali, the 24-year old smashed his eighth half-century. He missed his well-deserved ton by just four runs, registering his fifth Test dismissal in the 90s.
On day 1, Rohit Sharma won the toss and elected to bat first. The skipper, along with Mayank Agarwal, gave India a steady start and stitched an opening partnership of 52 runs. Soon India were 80-2 before Hanuma Vihari and Virat Kohli, the latter playing his 100th Test, put together 90 runs for the third wicket.
Rishabh Pant walks back after a brilliant knock of 96 off 97 deliveries.
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Coming in at No.5, Pant walked into the middle following Kohli's dismissal. Soon, he saw another set batter in Vihari get dismissed. However, along with Shreyas Iyer, Pant steadied the ship for India.
Pant put the Lankan bowlers on the backfoot and found a boundary every time the opposition bowlers gave him width. However, following the dismissal of Shreyas Iyer after Tea, Pant switched to the T20 mode.
He hit nine boundaries and a quartet of sixes. He stood on the verge of his fifth century in Tests and a chance to break former India captain MS Dhoni's record of the fastest Test century by an Indian wicketkeeper-batsman. Sadly, he missed out.
Pant had got to his half century in 73 balls. After that, it took him just 24 balls to score his next 46 runs. The Uttarakhand-born batter tonked the tired-looking Lankan bowlers all over the park.
He saved his best for the spinners, smashing Lasith Embuldeniya for 22 runs in one over, before hitting three fours and a six against Dhananjaya da Silva in his next two overs.
In the first over with the second new ball, Suranga Lakmal bowled an in-swinging delivery to Pant which rattled his stumps. He was visibly heartbroken and collapsed to his knees before walking back with a disappointing look.
Although he couldn't get to his hundred, Rishabh Pant did well to propel India to a brilliant 357/6 at stumps on day 1.