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Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant put up a brave fight on the opening day of the fifth Border-Gavaskar Trophy (BGT) Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney. After the Indian top order suffered a batting collapse, Rishabh Pant played a steady knock of 40 off 98 deliveries to help India cross the 100-run mark.
However, he had to depart off Scott Boland’s delivery in the 57th over with Pat Cummins completing a catch near mid-wicket. During his stay of 98 deliveries in the middle, Rishabh Pant continued to take a beating from the Australian pacers. He replicated Cheteshwar Pujara’s role from the last series when they toured Australia.
Rishabh Pant takes beating of Australian pacers during his 98-ball stay
Batting on Day 1 of the fifth Test, Pant was once hit on his arm and then on the helmet by Mitchell Starc. The incident occurred in the 35th over of the first Indian innings when Mitchell Starc’s bouncer left a big bruise on Pant’s arm, with the cameras showing the blood clot sustained by the Indian wicketkeeper-batter. After a few deliveries, Starc once again smacked him on the helmet, which forced necessary break as the physio walked in to check on Pant.
Watch Rishabh Pant getting body blows on Day 1 of fifth Test:
Notably, the 27-year-old refused to bow down, much like the Indian batter Cheteshwar Pujara in the 2020-21 series. Later in the following overs, Pant attacked debutant Beau Webster in the 46th over and smashed him for a six. The ground staff was forced to bring in a ladder to remove the ball.
Speaking of the ongoing Test, after Australian bowlers restricted India to under 200, Indian spearhead and stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah gave them their first wicket in Usman Khawaja. The Australian scorecard read 9/1 at stumps on day one of the fifth BGT Test in Sydney.
