Harsha Bhogle aptly described Rishabh Pant’s audacious six as pure “Box Office,” capturing the flair and fearlessness he brings to cricket even under pressure. India found themselves in a precarious position at 114/6, reeling from a top-order collapse against Australia’s formidable seam attack. Pant, however, injected a brief spark of hope with his counterattacking 37 off 78 balls, an innings studded with three boundaries and a stunning six that momentarily shifted the narrative.
Pant’s resistance came to a halt in the 46th over when Pat Cummins delivered a full ball that Pant attempted to whip away. The resulting edge flew to Steven Smith at second slip, who executed a sharp catch to send Pant packing. Cummins’ breakthrough was critical, leaving India in tatters at 114/7. Pant’s dismissal marked a turning point, as he had been the only batter showing intent amidst Australia’s relentless bowling.
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Amid the carnage, debutant Nitish Kumar Reddy emerged as a beacon of hope. The young batter, steady at 27 from 49 balls at the time of Pant’s departure, offered glimpses of promise as India sought to recover from their dismal start.
As only Rishabh Pant can do! 6️⃣#AUSvIND | #PlayOfTheDay | @nrmainsurance pic.twitter.com/vupPuWA8GG
— cricket.com.au (@cricketcomau) November 22, 2024
The morning session belonged entirely to Australia’s pace trio—Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Josh Hazlewood—who exploited the Perth pitch’s extra bounce and seam movement to devastating effect. By lunch, India had crumbled to 51/4, with KL Rahul’s hard-fought 26 being the only saving grace. His controversial dismissal before lunch further compounded India’s woes.
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Meanwhile, young talents Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal fell for ducks, undone by Hazlewood and Starc’s precision. Virat Kohli’s struggles continued, managing just 5 before falling to a sharp short ball from Hazlewood. Despite the grim situation, Pant’s fearless strokeplay, especially his spectacular six, provided a brief glimmer of entertainment in an otherwise challenging day for Indian cricket.
