Ravi Shastri gave fans a glimpse of what it would have been like had he called Rishabh Pant’s century on Day 3 of the Cape Town Test against South Africa. No one electrifies the audience with his words like Ravi Shastri. As India’s head coach or as a commentator, every time Ravi Shastri is on the microphone, entertainment is guaranteed.
Both times India lifted the World Cup – in 2007 and 2011 – Ravi Shastri was on the microphone to make the occasion memorable. Ravi Shastri made Yuvraj Singh’s six sixes off Stuart Broad all the more epic.
Ravi Shastri: Rishabh Pant Ton Was Simply Magnificent And Entertaining
Although he may not have returned to the commentary box, not yet, Ravi Shastri gave fans a glimpse of what it would have been like had he called Rishabh Pant’s century on Day 3 of the Cape Town Test against South Africa. On Twitter, Ravi Shastri put out a congratulatory message for Rishabh Pant, which if read in one go, would remind fans of his glory days in the commentary box.
“Pant dazzles with a hundred of sheer daring brilliance and class. Simply magnificent young man. What an entertainer,” Shastri tweeted.
Ravi Shastri has been very vocal about Rishabh Pant and his batting heroics. When the India wicketkeeper had tested positive for Covid-19 back during the tour of England, upon rejoining the team, Ravi Shastri welcomed Rishabh Pant back with a garland. Following his exploits in Australia and at home against England last year, Ravi Shastri had spoken highly of the wicketkeeper batter.
“At 21, 22, or 23, I had similar success, so I can relate to as I scored hundreds overseas. What you can never take away is exuberance of youth. It’s only when the baggage comes of being a known quantity and that’s when life starts,” Shastri had told reporters.
“Rishabh Pant, he came in after IPL with a lot of baggage and that showed in his size and he had to lose that (weight) which he did. He worked his backside off. I can tell you that he has trained harder than anyone else, and results are not just for him to see but for world to see.”
Only eight days after being slammed for his shot against Lungi Ngidi in the Johannesburg Test, Rishabh Pant registered his fourth Test century in Cape Town.
Rishabh Pant Hits 4th Ton But India Manages Only 198 In The 2nd Innings
The 24-year-old batter scored an unbeaten 100 off 139 balls on Thursday (13 January). However, India was all out for only 198 in 67.3 overs as the remaining batters put up an insipid display. This would arguably go down as one of Rishabh Pant’s finest centuries given the conditions he scored these runs in.
After Rishabh Pant’s unbeaten 100, the next best score was Virat Kohli’s 29, which gives an idea of how tough batting was for the Indians. At Lunch on Day 4 of the third Test, South Africa is at 171/3 and they need 41 runs to beat India and claim a series win at the Newlands in Cape Town.
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.
South Africa vice-captain Temba Bavuma is unbeaten along with Rassie van der Dussen while for India, Shardul Thakur, Jasprit Bumrah, and Mohammed Shami picked one wicket each.