Watch: Rishabh Pant hits a 1-handed 6; Rohit Sharma's reaction takes the icing on the cake
Published - 21 Sep 2024, 11:00 AM | Updated - 21 Sep 2024, 11:36 PM
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant smashed a brilliant one-handed six off Mehidy Hasan Miraz during the ongoing first Test against Bangladesh. Team India skipper Rohit Sharma was impressed with Rishabh Pant's stunning six and applauded during the third day of the Chennai Test match.
The Rohit Sharma-led team started the busy Test season with a two-match series against Bangladesh at home. Rishabh Pant returned to the Test squad after more than a year away. The left-handed batter scored 39 runs off 52 balls after India was reeling at 34/3 in the first innings in Chennai.
Watch: Rishabh Pant's One-Handed Six Earns Applause From Rohit Sharma
The incident took place on the first ball of the 40th over in India's second innings. Rishabh Pant danced down the track to play a lofted shot off Mehidy Hasan Miraz. Although he didn't come close to the pitch of the delivery, he completed the shot successfully and cleared the long-off fielder.
You can watch the video of Rishabh's one-handed six that earned applause from Rohit Sharma below:
— Kirkit Expert (@expert42983) September 21, 2024
Before the lunch break on Day 3, India scored 205 runs for the loss of three wickets in 51 overs. The home team currently leads by 432 runs in the match. Shubman Gill (86) and Pant (82) are on the verge of scoring centuries, and the team might declare after they reach those milestones.
The wicketkeeper-batter reached his 12th fifty in the longest format of the game. He achieved the fifty-run mark in 88 balls in the second innings of the match. The southpaw last scored a half-century against the same opponent, Bangladesh, at the Shere e Bangla Stadium in Mirpur in December 2022.
Pant made his cricketing comeback during IPL 2024. He was the top run-scorer for the Delhi Capitals. Following his impressive performance in the IPL 2024, Pant was included in India's T20 World Cup squad. He scored 171 runs across nine matches for India during the World Cup campaign in June.
He Attacks A Bit More Than I Did - Australian wicketkeeper
Legendary Australian wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist has praised Rishabh Pant for his aggressive style in Test cricket. Gilchrist said that Pant is even more attacking than he was during his own career. He highlighted Pant's ability to handle pressure and his fearless approach.
"I reckon he attacks a bit more than I did. I played an aggressive brand at that time, but Rishabh, he looks fearless," Gilchrist told Cricket.com.
Pant has amassed over 2,320 runs from 34 matches, with an average exceeding 43 and a strike rate above 73. The young batter has hit five centuries and 12 fifties.
He smashed hundreds during tours of England, Australia, and South Africa. Pant's aggressive batting style will be vital for the team's success as India gears up for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) 2024-25 later this year in Australia.
