Watch: Rishabh Pant falls for 99, leaving KL Rahul and Indian dressing room heartbroken

Rishabh Pant missed a well-deserved Test century by one run, leaving the Indian dressing room in utter disappointment on Day 4 of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday, October 19.

The left-handed batter entertained the Bengaluru crowd with his entertaining yet aggressive batting, but William O’Rourke came up with a plan not to allow Pant to complete his ton in the 89th over.

Rishabh Pant's heroic knock ends as William O'Rourke delivers game-changing blow to India

William O'Rourke delivered a game-changing moment for New Zealand, sending Rishabh Pant back to the pavilion just one run short of a century in Bengaluru. The second new ball did the trick, catching the Indian wicketkeeper-batter off guard.

The delivery from O'Rourke kicked up unexpectedly from a short length, surprising Pant as he tried to defend. The ball struck the seam of the bat, took an edge, and crashed into the stumps to silence the crowd.

His wicket left Team India in a tough spot at 77/5. Despite the disappointment, Pant received a standing ovation from the Indian cricket team and fans, acknowledging his brilliant knock of 99 runs off 105 balls, laced with nine boundaries and five sixes against New Zealand.

Later, replays showed that the ball not only moved in but also bounced extra, catching Pant cramped for room and ultimately taking out just the leg stump, while the off-stump remained untouched. With O'Rourke celebrating the big wicket, Pant’s resilient efforts came to a heartbreaking end.

Indian dressing room in shock after Rishabh Pant's dismissal

Following his dismissal, Virat Kohli, Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Siraj, Ravichandran Ashwin, and head coach Gautam Gambhir were seen expressing their shock at the crucial wicket. While Ravindra Jadeja was seen holding his head and regretting Pant's wicket, Siraj covered his face in shock. KL Rahul at the other end was also dejected.

On the other hand, Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir were just left regretting. Their sadness was visible on their faces.

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— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) October 19, 2024

Rishabh Pant makes it to the unique list of Indian legends with Bengaluru knock

Meanwhile, Rishabh Pant has now joined the unique list of Indian cricketers who have experienced the heartbreak of being dismissed in the 90s, just short of reaching a century in Test cricket. Sachin Tendulkar is leading the chart with 10 disappointments in his illustrious career.

Former Indian head coach and legendary batter Rahul Dravid stands second with nine dismissals in the 90s. Pant is quickly climbing this list, having been dismissed in the 90s for seven times. Sunil Gavaskar, MS Dhoni, and Virender Sehwag each share five instances of being dismissed in the 90s.

Additionally, Pant and MS Dhoni are the only Indian wicketkeepers in Test cricket history to have faced the disappointment of being dismissed in the 90s on five or more occasions. However, Pant was just unlucky to miss his ton, but with the pace, he scored runs in Bengaluru; it was amazing.

His runs came at an astounding strike rate of over 94, which shows how aggressively he battered throughout his stay on the crease in the ongoing first Test against New Zealand. Well, India looks in serious danger at the moment, as a big defeat is on the horizon for the hosts.