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Rishabh Pant Falls For 99: KL Rahul and Dressing Room Left In Shock
By CricShots - Oct 19, 2024 4:04 pm
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Before the start of play on Day 4 of the first Test between India and New Zealand at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, there was some uncertainty about Rishabh Pant’s participation. The wicketkeeper-batter had taken a blow to his knee, and it was unclear whether he would take the field in India’s second innings.

Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant gets dismissed on 99

However, Rishabh Pant defied expectations and walked out at No.5, partnering with Sarfaraz Khan to dismantle New Zealand’s bowling attack. Together, they helped India secure a crucial lead. Unfortunately, heartbreak awaited Pant as he fell agonizingly short of his seventh Test century, dismissed for 99—just one run shy of surpassing MS Dhoni’s record for the most Test centuries by an Indian keeper-batter.

Pant’s dismissal sent shockwaves through the Indian dressing room. Mohammed Siraj and Ravindra Jadeja were visibly distraught, and Virat Kohli, seated just behind them, looked stunned. KL Rahul, who was at the non-striker’s end, dropped to his haunches in disbelief. Despite the disappointment, the Bengaluru crowd rose to its feet to give Pant a standing ovation for his remarkable innings.

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As usual, Rishabh Pant’s knock was filled with flair and aggression. He took on New Zealand’s spinners, Ajaz Patel and Rachin Ravindra, consistently going over the top for boundaries and sixes. He didn’t spare the tall pacer William O’Rourke either, charging down the pitch to hit him for a straight boundary. When the sun broke through after a cloudy morning, Pant capitalized on the batting-friendly conditions.

 

However, it was O’Rourke who eventually had the last word. A short delivery kicked up more than Pant expected, causing him to misjudge his defensive shot and drag the ball back onto his stumps. This marked the seventh time Pant has been dismissed in the nineties in Test cricket. If he had converted all of those into centuries, his tally would stand at 13.

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It’s also worth noting that Pant missed the entire 2023 cricket season due to a car accident. Now back in form, his contributions, alongside Sarfaraz Khan’s 150, have put India in a strong position after a dismal first-innings collapse for 46.

Both Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli also added crucial half-centuries as the Test match, despite rain delays, hurtles toward an exciting conclusion.