Scott Boland had just taken a wicket a looked confident. But he was left perplexed as the new man, batting under the lights, stepped out to smash an audacious boundary off the very first ball that he faced. Rishabh Pant was at the crease!
It was on the fourth ball of the fifteenth over that Rishabh Pantw walked out to bat after Virat Kohli (11 off 21) was caught by Alex Carey off Boland. With the team struggling, Pant was under pressure. However, the stylish left-hander wasted no time and powered a length delivery from Boland over mid-off to find a boundary. But it was just the beginning.
In another outrageous effort in the sixteenth over, Pant dispatched a rising back of a length delivery from Boland to the boundary. He fell down after playing a right-hander's hook over the slip cordon. An excited Shubman Gill gave his partner a hug in admiration as Australian players gazed in disbelief. "He is outrageous", said Ravi Shastri from the commentary box.
This guy is the real “chill guy” 🥶#BorderGavaskarTrophy2024 #RishabhPant 🫡 pic.twitter.com/0eS0Rx38ET
— Tushar 🇮🇳 (@Pedriiii_FCB) December 7, 2024
Then, in the eighteenth over, Pant punished Boland for another outlandish boundary with his captain Rohit Sharma watching from the other end. He got inside the line and pulled a short-length delivery that came across him. The Delhi batter shuffled across and fell down once again as he pulled the ball all the way to the fine-leg fence.
This is outrageous from Rishabh Pant 😂
— 7Cricket (@7Cricket) December 7, 2024
So good to watch #AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/Vwqe9njMSx
Indian fans finally had something to celebrate on social media at the end of the day which largely belonged to the home side.
Rishabh Pant in a match where rest of his teammates can't even see the ball properly pic.twitter.com/gSGtJAVZvk
— Heisenberg ☢ (@internetumpire) December 7, 2024
At the end of the day's play, Pant remained unbeaten on 28 from 25 deliveries alongside Nitish Kumar Reddy (15 off 14). His innings consisted of found boundaries. India still trial Australia by 29 runs as they reel at 128/5.
India vs Australia Test Day 2: As it happened
Rishabh Pant be like Bakchodi nahi rukni chahiye 🫡 pic.twitter.com/8M9eHV7pmA
— Dinda Academy (@academy_dinda) December 7, 2024
Australia was powered by Travis Head's brilliant 140 as they posted a commanding 337 before reducing India to 128-5 to stay on course for a series-levelling victory in the day-night Test. Head's hundred handed Australia a first-innings lead of 157 at his home ground the Adelaide Oval. Australia's pace battery further consolidated their position by blowing away the top half of India's batting order with the pink ball.
