RISHABH PANT 2.0: SENSIBLE AND AUDACIOUS

The audacious Pant has carried on his great form into the home series against England. He was India’s best batsman in the loss in the first Test with 91, scored a crucial fifty in the second Test...

- RENIN WILBEN

When Rishabh Pant made his international debut in a T20I against England in 2017, he was viewed as an outrageous talent who could explode in limited-overs on the big stage, if given enough opportunities. Injuries and fitness issues to Wriddhiman Saha meant that Pant got his chances in the traditional format of the game too. The next couple of seasons were spent discovering how good the southpaw can actually be in international cricket. The results were mixed and, consequently, the talented dasher was in and out of the team. The last few months though have seen Pant, still, only 23, come of age spectacularly.

It all began in Australia with the blazing hundred in a practice game. Although it was not enough to find Pant place in the playing XI for the Adelaide Test, a disastrous batting show forced India to bring him in ahead of Saha for the Boxing Day encounter. Had the move failed, both the team think-tank and Pant himself would have come in for plenty of criticism. As things panned out, the maverick batsman played two stellar knocks – 97 in Sydney and 89 not out at Gabba. One almost led to a famous win, the other actually did!