In a stunning counter-attack against Bangladesh on the second day of the second Test at Dhaka, Rishabh Pant registered his sixth ninety-plus score for India. The much-awaited action-packed Indian Premier League auction was meant to dominate the cricket news today but Pant had other plans while the franchises built up to the auction in Kochi.
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India had been struggling to build solid partnerships and after being down 94/4 following Virat Kohli’s dismissal, Pant took it upon himself to rescue India from a precarious position yet again with a quickfire knock that was laced with five sixes and seven boundaries.
Pant was at his best, completing his 11th Test fifty off 49 balls in the process. Along with Shreyas Iyer, he stitched a 159-run partnership before succumbing to Mehidy Hasan for 93 after tea. Although he fell agonisingly short of his century, his knock allowed India to roar back into the game on Day 2.
Here’s a look at the reactions to his knock:
Stop it Rishabh Pant. Stop stealing the limelight from the greatest sporting event of the year. #BANvIND #IPLAuctions
— Rohit Sankar (@imRohit_SN) December 23, 2022
I would always have Pant in the playing XI. In any format.
— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) December 23, 2022
There was a hundred for the taking here for Pant. Maybe even a career best score. This is his 6th score in the 90s.
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) December 23, 2022
Later on, this lack of conversion has an impact on career averages. Nevertheless, another good innings.
Rishabh Pant has crossed 50 in 16 Test innings. His slowest innings was at a strike-rate of 47.16. His fastest was at an S/R of 161.3. He has grafted, he has blazed, across conditions, across continents, against pace, spin, swing. India's best Test bat right now? You tell me
— Siddhartha Vaidyanathan (@sidvee) December 23, 2022
Rishabh Pant has played Test cricket in India, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies and Bangladesh
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) December 23, 2022
Rishabh Pant has scored Test centuries in India, Australia, England, South Africa... falls just 7 runs short of adding Bangladesh also to that list.
ONE HANDED SIX pic.twitter.com/6QFO8OpnLQ
— a (@PullxVolley) December 23, 2022
The famous one-handed six from Pant. pic.twitter.com/SWXjrOFGha
— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) December 23, 2022
A 100-metre 1-hand six. Whattey. pic.twitter.com/hb2C40YWaI
— Vinayakk (@vinayakkm) December 23, 2022
"We've got Pant, I just don't think you understand!"#BANvIND
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) December 23, 2022
Rishabh Pant 🙌🏻 pic.twitter.com/2HLEK0h60I
— retired ICT fan (@anubhav__tweets) December 23, 2022
If a team doesn't get Pant, Pant will quickly get them.
— Iceland Cricket (@icelandcricket) December 23, 2022
He is a Gilchrist like cricketer.
Indian team to Pant in every Test match:#BANvsIND #CricketTwitter pic.twitter.com/d3Z63mjIed
— Akash Kumar Jha (@Akashkumarjha14) December 23, 2022