Rishabh Pant scored a brilliant century in tough conditions to help India set South Africa a target of 212 on the third day of the third Test, in Cape Town on Thursday.
Pant’s (100 not out off 139 balls) fourth Test hundred constituted for more than 50% of India’s second innings total of 198, with Virat Kohli’s 29 off 143 balls being the second highest individual score.
The day belonged to Pant as he scored a superlative hundred and dug deep to keep India in the match. His 94-run partnership with skipper Kohli was crucial and it allowed him to settle his nerves at the crease.
Pant his six fours and four sixes in his innings and became just the second designated wicketkeeper, after Australian great Adam Gilchrist, to score a Test century in England, Australia and South Africa.
Here are reactions to his fantastic knock:
#SAvIND
— The Field (@thefield_in) January 13, 2022
A look at Pant's wagon wheel.
Runs on the on-side: 61
Runs on the off-side: 39 pic.twitter.com/b2YeqtiFpQ
📸📸💯@RishabhPant17 #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/yIbfZ2BXhQ
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 13, 2022
A simply outstanding knock by @RishabhPant17 at a crucial stage!
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) January 13, 2022
Well done.#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/gdlTgfH3UE
🤐🤐 #👖
— Rohit Sharma (@ImRo45) January 13, 2022
@RishabhPant17 👏bmt
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) January 13, 2022
Incredible 💯 from #RishabhPant . Just two other batsmen reached double fingers and has single -handedly kept India in the game. Not just an ex-factor but one of India’s biggest match-winner in Test cricket. pic.twitter.com/8FqX1FrIIK
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) January 13, 2022
The reason why we keep talking so highly about #pant is the ability to play game changing innings! Brilliant 💯
— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 13, 2022
First Indian wicketkeeper to score a Test hundred in:
— Kausthub Gudipati (@kaustats) January 13, 2022
WI🏝️ - Vijay Manjrekar in 1953
IND🇮🇳 - Budhi Kunderan in 1964
PAK🇵🇰 - MS Dhoni in 2006
ENG🏴 - Rishabh Pant in 2018
AUS🇦🇺 - Rishabh Pant in 2019
SA🇿🇦 - RISHABH PANT in 2022#SAvIND
This is a very high quality 💯 under tremendous pressure by #pant . But, match-winners play their best when team needs it most. #INDvsSAF #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/RVEtISN5pb
— parthiv patel (@parthiv9) January 13, 2022
Designated wicket-keepers with Test hundreds in England, Australia, South Africa and India:
— Rupin Kale (@Vegansportlover) January 13, 2022
- Adam Gilchrist
- Rishabh Pant
End of list 🔥🔥🔥#SAvIND pic.twitter.com/qFUcMLD2z1
Not only does Rishabh have atleast one century each in SA, England and Australia, he has gotten all of them in his first cycle. Absolute mad lad.
— Manya (@CSKian716) January 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant is a special player…played the best Test knock by an Indian in 2021 (Gabba). And here, he’s played another gem. It wasn’t even a contest without Pant’s contribution. #SAvInd
— Aakash Chopra (@cricketaakash) January 13, 2022
What an innings under such a pressure situation 💯
— Surya Kumar Yadav (@surya_14kumar) January 13, 2022
Take a bow @RishabhPant17 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/xaDRL1ZbNZ
Most centuries by Indian wicket-keepers in Tests:
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) January 13, 2022
6 : MS Dhoni
4 : Rishabh Pant*
3 : W Saha#SAvsIND
Real Superman 💪 what an innings bro @RishabhPant17 🇮🇳👏 pic.twitter.com/PZuOqpiHqd
— Yuzvendra Chahal (@yuzi_chahal) January 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant. Maverick. On his way to cult status. #INDvSA
— Jamie Alter 😷 🇮🇳 (@alter_jamie) January 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant becomes the first Asian keeper to score a Test century in South Africa.#SAvsIND
— Umang Pabari (@UPStatsman) January 13, 2022
200+ thanks to @RishabhPant17 classic way to reach a ton. A knock to remember under pressure- just the right return champ. #SAvsIND pic.twitter.com/BLSuCmzDEH
— Reema Malhotra (@ReemaMalhotra8) January 13, 2022
Just one year ago on tomorrow’s date, Rishabh took us home hitting the winning runs at Australia’s fortress Gabba. For him to pull India out of a sticky situation, adapting to conditions that don’t really suit his natural game, this century is really, really special. ❤️
— Sonali (@samtanisonali1) January 13, 2022
Rishabh Pant is playing cricket, tennis, badminton, lacrosse, and frisbee at the same time.
— El Chopernos (@El_Chopernos) January 13, 2022
He has scored Test tons in Australia and England before and this one in Cape Town is right up there with one of the best counter- attacking innings one would ever see. Has kept India in the game. Take a bow, #RishabhPant . pic.twitter.com/Rfo8C3ZBgS
— VVS Laxman (@VVSLaxman281) January 13, 2022
Sensation century by @RishabhPant17. Walked out to bat with India in the dumps, built up fine partnership with Kohli to revive hope and in post lunch mayhem in which 5 wickets fell, kept his nerve, and played with maturity - interspersed with some unorthodox strokes all his own
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 13, 2022
Big message for Pant here. If he gives himself time, he can be an extraordinary batter. This is another special innings.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) January 13, 2022
“𝙏𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙗𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪!”
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) January 13, 2022
A top-quality ton from Rishabh Pant. 💯 pic.twitter.com/rTux8U6D6L
And that's what a match winner is all about! What a playa @RishabhPant17 one of the best innings under pressure, don't see why he should ever change his game! #SAvIND
— Kris Srikkanth (@KrisSrikkanth) January 13, 2022
That was obviously a great innings from a run-scoring perspective from Pant but don’t let that distract from his wicket preservation as well. According to our expected wickets model the balls Pant faced would’ve got an average batsman out 2.4 times; Pant remained not out. #SAvIND
— The CricViz Analyst (@cricvizanalyst) January 13, 2022
Centuries in England,Australia and now South Africa and he isn’t even 25!! Take a bow @RishabhPant17 ! And to think we had some cricket pundits calling to ‘drop’ him after Joburg! Infuriating but also intoxicating: Rishabh is Sui generis! Just let him bat his own way!😄👍👍👍
— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) January 13, 2022
Most Test 100s by an Asian wicket-keeper in SENA countries:
— Rajneesh Gupta (@rgcricket) January 13, 2022
3 - Rishabh Pant
2 - Moin Khan#INDvSA #SAvIND #INDvsSA #SAvsIND
On the way to becoming the greatest Indian test wicket keeper batsman ! A century in all tough conditions. Take a bow @RishabhPant17 !!!#INDvsSAF
— Vikram Sathaye (@vikramsathaye) January 13, 2022
100 out of 195. Second innings. Series decider. Wickets tumbling. Quality attack. A player that comes across once in a generation. Take a bow.
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) January 13, 2022
What an innings from @RishabhPant17 👊🏼👏🏼 #SAvIND pic.twitter.com/BOj1P8o6M0
— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 13, 2022
Full of heart and courage! What an innings @RishabhPant17 👏 Well done my bro 🤗 pic.twitter.com/nFNz3mVYx2
— Shikhar Dhawan (@SDhawan25) January 13, 2022
Highest Test scores by an Indian keeper in SENA countries
— Mohandas Menon (@mohanstatsman) January 13, 2022
- South Africa: Rishabh Pant 100* +
- England: Rishabh Pant 114 #
- New Zealand: Syed Kirmani 78
- Australia: Rishabh Pant 159* +
+ highest by an Asian
# second highest by an Asian#IndvsSAF #IndvsSA #SAvIND #INDvsSA