Rishabh Pant and Sarfaraz Khan delivered a defiant counter-attack for India B during their Duleep Trophy match against India A on Day 3, adding 72 runs in just 56 balls. Faced with the daunting task of rescuing the side after a top-order collapse left them reeling at 22/3, the pair showed no hesitation in taking the game to the opposition.
Pant’s audacity and Sarfaraz’s power combined to put pressure on the India A pacers throughout their time at the crease; however, their dismissals did bring the opposition back in the game, with India B ending the day at 150/6. Pant’s brisk 61 off 47 balls, adorned with nine fours and two sixes, became the highlight of the day as he unleashed his natural flair under pressure.
The situation had looked bleak for India B when their top order crumbled against the relentless pace duo of Khaleel Ahmed and Akash Deep. The early breakthroughs, which saw Abhimanyu Easwaran and Musheer Khan dismissed by Akash Deep, and Yashasvi Jaiswal fall to Ahmed, had tilted the momentum towards India A.
Dhruv Jurel, the wicketkeeper, played his part by snapping up all three catches, leaving India B teetering with an overall lead of just 132 runs at the time.
However, Pant and Sarfaraz refused to be subdued by the challenging conditions or the disciplined bowling attack. With the ball still moving decently, the duo adopted an aggressive approach, turning the tide in their favour. Sarfaraz’s brutal assault on Akash Deep, where he struck five consecutive boundaries, was a statement of intent. Meanwhile, Pant, in his signature style, combined finesse with ferocity, expertly dispatching Khaleel Ahmed to the boundary with a late cut and a punch through the covers.
{{/usCountry}}However, Pant and Sarfaraz refused to be subdued by the challenging conditions or the disciplined bowling attack. With the ball still moving decently, the duo adopted an aggressive approach, turning the tide in their favour. Sarfaraz’s brutal assault on Akash Deep, where he struck five consecutive boundaries, was a statement of intent. Meanwhile, Pant, in his signature style, combined finesse with ferocity, expertly dispatching Khaleel Ahmed to the boundary with a late cut and a punch through the covers.
{{/usCountry}}Sarfaraz's innings, though explosive, was not without drama. Dropped on 28 by Ahmed, he responded by launching a flat six over covers straightaway. However, his stay was cut short by Avesh Khan, who found the edge of Sarfaraz’s bat, with Jurel completing yet another catch behind the stumps. Despite his departure, the damage had been done.
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Pant, undeterred by the loss of his partner, continued to play with controlled aggression, reaching his half-century in just 34 balls. His boundary-laden knock ended when he mistimed a sweep off Tanush Kotian, offering a simple catch to substitute fielder Kumar Kushagra.