India’s wicket-keeper batsman, Rishabh Pant takes to Twitter to celebrate India’s epic escape as the visitors batted out an enormous 131 overs in their second innings to save the third Test of the series in Sydney against Australia.
On the evening of Day 4, Australia set India a gigantic target of 407. Pant walked in to bat in the second over of Day 5 when at the fall of skipper Ajinkya Rahane’s wicket. After biding time for about an hour to score 7 runs from 36 balls, the left-hander broke his shackles and smashed Nathan Lyon for a boundary and a maximum. Pant didn’t look back once he decided to take on the Aussie bowlers.
With the assurity of Cheteshwar Pujara at the other end, Pant made look the target of 407, which once seemed insurmountable, as possible and lit the glimmer of hope for the Indian fans.
The southpaw, against a stronger match-up of Nathan Lyon, as he would spin the ball away from him, hammered the off-spinner for three lofted shots into the crowd, along with a flurry of boundaries to all the four Aussie bowlers.
Hard work truly pays off: Rishabh Pant
While keeping in Australia’s first innings, Pant has dropped a couple of catches. Tim Paine, returned the favour, as the Australian skipper also spilled off edges from Pant off Nathan Lyon.
Riding on his luck, fighting with elbow pain, Pant with his sheer audacity raced to 97. A third Test century looked not far away – Pant previously has notched up a Test hundred in England and Australia – however, Pant’s dictum of ‘live by the sword, die by the sword’ proved fatal for him this time.
Lyon, looking at the batsman charging down once again, dished a wider delivery which Pant couldn’t connect and Pat Cummins took a safe catch at point. The 23-year-old may have missed his chance to score a second century at the SCG again, but his exhilarating, and more importantly a 118-ball stay at the crease was imperative for India’s chances to save the match – which they did.
“Hard work truly pays off. On to BrisbaneHappy to contribute to the team. Well done boys. On to Brisbane,” tweeted Pant.
The series stands level after the draw in Sydney. The action moves to Brisbane for the last Test at The Gabba.
Hard work truly pays off ?. Happy to contribute to the team. Well done boys. ? On to Brisbane. ⏭️ @BCCI pic.twitter.com/RIhpNUsFoI
— Rishabh Pant (@RishabhPant17) January 11, 2021