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‘The big difference is there is no Rishabh Pant’: Australia legend reacts to India's 9-wicket hammering at Indore
In Rishabh Pant's absence, the management has given KS Bharat the opportunity to fill in the big boots but the results have been far from desirable. Being picked over Ishan Kishan, Bharat has managed just 57 runs from five innings at an average of 14.25.
After kicking off the Border-Gavaskar Trophy on a solid note, Team India was handed a harsh reality check by Steve Smith's Australia in the third Test at Indore, which the hosts lost by nine wickets. The turning conditions, which were expected to favour India completely backfired as Australia maintained the upper hand throughout the Test, which was wrapped well within three days.
The proceedings started with India winning the toss and opting to bat. However, Rohit Sharma and Co. failed to resist the Aussie spin attack as the innings got folded for 109, after which Australia scored 156/4 on the opening day itself and took a crucial 47-run lead.
The Aussies maintained the tempo the following day and went on to extend their lead by 88 runs before running out of wickets. India then produced some fight with Cheteshwar Pujara mostly staging a lone battle as the hosts could only accumulate 163 in the second innings, having Australia with an insignificant 76-run target. Travis Head and Marnus Labuschagne then counter-attacked Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja to wrap up the contest in the first session of Day 3.
The defeat exposed India's batting frailty, especially the top-order in both innings. Virat Kohli scored 22 in the first innings and was the team's leading run-scorer, while Pujara's gritty 59 saved the hosts from humiliation.
Sharing his views on the same, former Australia cricketer Ian Chappell felt the team dearly missed Rishabh Pant's services, who is still recovering from the tragic car accident and is expected to remain on the sidelines for most part of 2023.
"One of the big differences is that there is no Rishabh Pant in this Indian side. They have started to see how important Rishabh Pant is to the Indian side," noted the ex-Aussie cricketer during an interaction on ESPNCricinfo.
Pant is yet to make his mark in white-ball cricket, but the Roorkee-based wicketkeeper has already stamped his authority in the longer format. During the previous Border-Gavaskar Trophy, which was played in Down Under, Pant finished as the highest-run getter from the Indian camp, accumulating 274 runs from five innings. Pant didn't score a century then but his 97-run knock in Sydney, followed by an unbeaten 89 at the Gabba is still etched in most Indian cricket fans' hearts. Riding on Pant's heroics, Ajinkya Rahane's India had then not only won the series, but defied every odds which fell on their way.
In Pant's absence, the management has given KS Bharat the opportunity to fill in the big boots but the results have been far from desirable. Being picked over Ishan Kishan, Bharat has managed just 57 runs from five innings at an average of 14.25.
Meanwhile, the win helped Australia seal a berth in the much-anticipated World Test Championship final, which is scheduled to be played at The Oval in June. India will hope for a positive result in the Ahmedabad Test, which if happens will help Rohit and Co. qualify for the Test Championship final.
