Gautam Gambhir has termed Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten century in the second innings of the third and final Test against South Africa one of the best by an Indian batter in overseas conditions. This was Rishabh Pant’s 4th Test ton. He now has Test tons in England, Australia, and South Africa.
Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 100-run knock came off 139 deliveries and was studded with six fours and four sixes. Despite his best efforts, Team India was bowled out for a mere 198 runs in their second innings.
Gautam Gambhir Feels Rishabh Pant’s Ton Is One Of The Best Overseas Hundred By An Indian
While reviewing the third day’s play on Star Sports, Gautam Gambhir was effusive in his praise for Rishabh Pant.
He said: “I feel it is one of the best hundreds overseas by an Indian. The sort of situation that was there, it is necessary to remember that he [Pant] had come into bat when India had lost two wickets in the first two overs. It is not that he had come when a platform had been set.”
The former India cricketer highlighted that Rishabh Pant’s blazing knock came when the team was in a spot of bother.
Gautam Gambhir elaborated: “If he had gotten out there, the game might have become one-sided. So despite that, such an attacking hundred, with so much control and to play till the end and remain unbeaten – amazing knock.”
Day 3 of the third and final Test between India and South Africa commenced with the Virat Kohli-led Indian team 57-2, with an overall lead of 70 runs. Team India lost the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane in the first two overs of the third morning and was reduced to a score of 58/4. Rishabh Pant then stitched together a 94-run partnership with Virat Kohli to bring the visitors back into the game.
Gautam Gambhir: Rishabh Pant Will Remember This Ton For A Long Time
Gautam Gambhir pointed out that Rishabh Pant overshadowed all the other Indian batters with his knock.
He explained: “He [Pant] will remember this hundred for a very long time because he has scored more than 50 percent of the runs and on a wicket where every batter has struggled, from Virat Kohli, who didn’t look in that much rhythm in the second innings, to KL Rahul.”
The cricketer-turned-politician concluded by saying that Rishabh Pant could have converted the knock into a bigger hundred if the likes of Ravichandran Ashwin and Shardul Thakur had stayed with him.
Gautam Gambhir observed: “Despite that, the attacking cricket he played and he could have scored even more runs if Ashwin or Shardul Thakur had given him support. We are seeing 100 off 139 deliveries, but this hundred could have become 140 or 150 if someone had batted with him.”
None of the Indian lower-order batters stayed at the wicket for long. Ravichandran Ashwin, Shardul Thakur, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, and Jasprit Bumrah contributed a combined 14 runs.
With an unbeaten 100-run knock, Rishabh Pant entered the record books among keeper-batters. The left-hander is the first Asian keeper-batsman to score a hundred in South Africa. He is also the first Indian keeper to score a ton in South Africa, England, and Australia.
Courtesy Rishabh Pant’s 100, India were bundled out for 198 in 67.3 overs in their second innings of the series decider, at Newlands, Cape Town on Thursday. Dean Elgar-led South Africa need 212 runs to win the match and attain a memorable series triumph against the No. 1 ranked Indian team. The Proteas in their 2nd innings is 101/2 at Stumps needing a further 111 runs to win with 8 wickets in hand and 2 days left.
South Africa 210 and 101 for 2 (Petersen 48*, Elgar 30, Shami 1-22) need another 111 runs to beat India 223 and 198 (Pant 100*, Jansen 4-36, Rabada 3-53, Ngidi 3-21)