Rishabh Pant’s top 3 knocks in Test Cricket

Rishabh Pant has proved to be a revelation for India in the whites. The test format has turned out to be his forte. Rishabh Pant emerged on the stage with his blazing knocks in the limited-overs format especially in the biggest franchise league in the world, IPL. But not many would have guessed that his most memorable performances would come in the longest format of the game. He has absolutely taken off in the tests for India. 

Before he met an accident, his place in the test squad was assured and he cemented his place in the whites for India in a very short span. He made his debut in the test format on a challenging tour to England in 2018 but the bigger the occasion the better he performs. Since then, it has been smooth sailing for the wicketkeeper-batsman. Let’s take a look at the top 3 knocks for India in test cricket. 

#3. 89* vs Australia in Brisbane

This knock definitely comes at the very top. It is not a century but its value is much more than a century. This knock of 89 helped India rewrite the history books as the Indian team did the unthinkable by winning a test series in Australia twice in a row. This knock came at a time when the Indian team needed every player to step up and Rishabh Pant did exactly that.

Both India and Australia came to Brisbane with the series on the line. Australia had absolutely decimated India in the first test. But the Indians bounced back at the MCG and drew the series. In Sydney, the Indian team managed to pull off a draw with Ashwin and Vihari standing tall to negotiate the last day. An injury-plagued team India reached Brisbane with the aspiration of winning the series once again in the backyard of the Kangaroos. 

On the last day of the test, India had to chase the major part of the target of 329. Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara played gritty knocks to keep India in contention. Rishabh Pant did the rest of the job with lower-order batters and played that famous winning shot as well which will be etched in the memory of Indian fans forever. 

#2. 146 vs England in Birmingham

In 2021 the Indian team toured England for a test series. After four test matches, India was leading the test series 2-1 but because of a few Covid-19 cases in the camp, the series had to be postponed. The next year in the month of July Indian team travelled again to England to play the 5th and the last test of the series. 

England won the toss and invited India to bat first in challenging English conditions. Indian team was off to a shaky start with Shubman Gill going back early in the innings. His dismissal was the first in the series of quick wickets for England. English conditions seemed to get better off the Indian batters as half of the side was back in the pavilion even before India put up 100 runs on the board. But then came the Pant storm as he absolutely blew off the English bowlers. India was under the pump but Pant decided to counterattack with Jadeja playing a solid knock at the other end. Pant’s blitzkrieg helped India reach a massive total of 416 in the first innings. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 146 off just 111 balls. This knock of him would definitely be one of the best knocks that he has played for India in the longest format. 

#1. 159* vs Australia in Sydney

The Indian team went to the Down Under in 2018-19 and did something that had never happened before. Indian team won the test series against Australia in Australia under the leadership of Virat Kohli. Indian team travelled to Sydney for the fourth test match with a lead of 2-1 in the series. It was important for India to pull off a result in this game in order to make sure that they maintained that lead and won the series. 

On a good batting track, Virat Kohli won the toss and decided to bat first. India lost one of the openers, KL Rahul, early on but Mayank Agrawal and Cheteshwar Pujara stood strong to progress the innings and see off the challenging initial phase. Mayank Agrawal got out for 77 and very soon Virat Kohli was also dismissed. In the middle order, Ajinkya Rahane and Hanuma Vihari got good starts but could not make it big. India was 329/5 when Rishabh Pant walked into bat. India needed a handsome first-innings total to put Australia under pressure as the conditions were great for batting. Once again Pant built up a partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to guide India to a massive total in the first innings. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored an unbeaten 159 to help India put up 622 runs on the board and challenge the Aussies. India eventually managed to draw the game and clinch the series for the first time in Australia in which Pant had a huge role to play. 

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