Rishabh Pant has attracted the attention of two legends at once – Ricky Ponting calling him a cricketer “on a different planet” and Sourav Ganguly summing up his ultra-aggressive batting with “wow”.
Days after being left out of India’s World Cup squad, Pant made a statement by guiding Delhi Capitals to a win over Rajasthan Royals. Set a target of 192 after Ajinkya Rahane roared back to form with a classy ton, Pant scored an unbeaten 78 off just 36 balls to hand his team a six-wicket win.
Dinesh Karthik, who has been picked for the World Cup squad as a back-up wicket-keeper ahead of Pant, has been having a torrid time in IPL 2019. He has scored 117 runs in 10 matches with a strike-rate of just 119.38.
And Pant’s knock was just the thing to set the tongues wagging again. Here’s how Twitter reacted to the ballistic knock.
Rishabh pant @RishabPant777 @ParthJindal11 u deserve this .. u r wow pic.twitter.com/tTYgWrZZpH
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) April 22, 2019
Rishabh Pant in the IPL since 2017:
— Sampath Bandarupalli (@SampathStats) April 22, 2019
39 innings
1386 runs [Most]
125 fours [2nd most]
77 sixes [Most]
38.5 average
168.82 S/R [3rd Best]#IPL2019 #RRvDC
Rishabh Pant will be very proud of this innings. Difference between promise and what a proper pro does. Look forward to seeing many more of these.
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 22, 2019
Still seeing plenty of Pant vs Dhoni arguments.
— CricBlog (@cric_blog) April 23, 2019
My question is: why?
You have one of the greats in MS Dhoni + one of the rising stars in Rishabh Pant.
Embrace them both.#RRvDC #RRvsDC #IPL2019
Yesterday
— Suyash Bharadwaj (@Suyash75) April 23, 2019
DiK 4 runs in 6 balls
Rishabh Pant 78 runs in 36 balls.
Also Pant is not as good a keeper as Dhoni but he is FAR better Dik who holds several world records for missed stumps, catches and byes.
The Indian team selectors should be sacked straighty.
Bunch of losers
Rishabh Pant played just 4 dot balls in this innings, all these dots came in first 11 balls he faced. How many players in d world can do this magic? You can easily count it using your fingers & he doing this at the age of 21
— Ashok Jammy (@AshokJammy_) April 22, 2019
The talent Rishabh possess is IMPECCABLE!!! #RRvDC
Since 2017 in IPL,
— Kausthub45 (@kauSTats) April 22, 2019
Most runs:-
1386 - RISHABH PANT
1377 - Shikhar Dhawan
1225 - Virat Kohli
1158 - David Warner
1131 - Jos Buttler
Most sixes:-
77 - RISHABH PANT
72 - Chris Gayle
72 - Andre Russell
64 - AB de Villiers
63 - MS Dhoni#RRvDC
Admit it , After MS Dhoni , #RishabhPant is the best Wicket keeper Indian Batsman right now .
— Zakir Khan (@ZakirKhan012) April 22, 2019
78 runs of 36 balls not out , brilliant innings by Rishabh Pant. #DCvRR #RRvDC #IPL2019
Rishabh Pant in IPL against some top Bowlers
— JSK (@imjsk27) April 22, 2019
Bumrah - 26 (25) & 4 dismissals
Bhuvneshwar - 58 (21) & 0 dismissal
Rashid khan - 53 (36) & 1 dismissal
Jofra Archer - 25 (12) & 0 dismissal
Yuzi Chahal - 44 (26) & 0 dismissal#RRvDC
Rishabh Pant won the game today after watching Dhoni 'lagbhag' winning the game yesterday. Tribute from a youngster to a veteran.
— Keh Ke Peheno (@coolfunnytshirt) April 22, 2019
Rishabh Pant..boy... this guy is hard to fathom but such a joy to watch! What an innings! 👏👏👏🙏🙏🙏#RRvDC
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) April 22, 2019
After Mahi’s heroics yesterday, the turn for his prodigy to show what he is made of. Rishabh Pant- Bowlers ka aur Match ka bhi Anth. #RRvDC
— Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 22, 2019