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Rishabh Pant answers Gavaskar, Gambhir with India's second-fastest Test half-century, blasts four sixes in Sydney

Jan 04, 2025 01:09 PM IST

Rishabh Pajnht's 29-ball fifty kept India in the game in he Border-Gavaskar Trophy finale against Australia in Sydney.

Rishabh Pant let his bat do all the talking in a befitting reply to the legendary Sunil Gavaskar's "stupid, stupid, stupid" rant at the MCG. The India wicketkeeper-batter blasted the second-fastest half-century off 29 balls. Gavaskar had lashed out at Pant for throwing his wicket away while attempting a ramp shot off Scott Boland in the first innings. He received more flak for gifting his wicket away in the last session of Day 5 to the part-time off-spin of Travis Head. That wicket triggered a collapse, and India lost the Test by 184 runs.

India's Rishabh Pant bats during play on the second day of the fifth cricket Test(AP)
India's Rishabh Pant bats during play on the second day of the fifth cricket Test(AP)

There were reports claiming India head coach Gautam Gambhir expressed his displeasure at Pant's irresponsible cricket. The left-hander came back with a much better display in the New Year's Test in Sydney. In difficult batting conditions, Pant braved a barrage of short-pitched stuff from Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Scott Boland. During his dogged 98-ball stay in the middle, Pant copped multiple body blows, which he later on described as a "badge of honours".

In the second innings, however, Pant unleashed the carnage that he is renowned for. Coming in to bat at the fall of Virat Kohli, who registered another low score after nicking it to the slips again, Pant hit his first ball for a six. he charged down the track to Scott Boland to hit him over long on. That was the first of Pant's four sixes on Saturday.

He would go on to hit Mitchell Starc for back-to-back sixes to get to his half-century. He fell short of breaking his own record for the fastest Test fifty by an Indian by just one ball. Pant had smashed a half-century off 28 balls against Sri Lanka in 2022.

Pant keeps India in the game

In between, the left-hander rendered Pat Cummins clueless with his unorthodox methods of scoring runs. He charged down the track to Australia's best bowler of the match, Boland and hit him for boundaries. He used the same method against debutant Beau Webster to smash him for four fours and a six. Even Cummins wasn't spared when he pitched it in his arc.

Pant's incredible hitting kept India in the game on a pitch that became increasingly difficult to bat. Just when it was looking Pant would turn the match on its head, he got an outside edge off Cummins. He walked out to a standing ovation for scoring 61 off 33 balls.

At the close in Sydney, the visitors were 141-6 with Ravindra Jadeja on eight and Washington Sundar six after they dismissed Australia for 181 in reply to their first innings 185.

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