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How Rishabh Pant became the biggest match-winner for India

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Vivek Mishra
Vivek MishraJul 18, 2022 | 15:32

How Rishabh Pant became the biggest match-winner for India

Pant's unbeaten 125 off just 113 balls helped India seal a five wicket victory over England in the third ODI on Sunday. (Photo: BCCI)

Cricketers always remember the knocks which took their team to victories. But Rishabh Pant, just 24 years old, has played so many match-winning knocks for India that it would be hard for him to remember many of them.

If one has to describe him in one word it would be: blockbuster. If Pant is on the crease, entertainment is guaranteed. No matter what the format is, the wicketkeeper-batter plays the way he likes to.

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Sunday magic: On Sunday, Pant's unbeaten 125 off just 113 balls and Hardik Pandya's all-round display helped India seal a five-wicket victory over England in the third and final one-day international at Old Trafford to complete a 2-1 series victory.

  • He scored five consecutive boundaries off David Willey in the 42nd over and his last 45 runs came in just 15 balls.
  • Pant was given the player of the match award as he also became the first Asian wicketkeeper-batter to score Test, ODI centuries in England.
  • Pant has been a terrific batsmen for India in he Tests, but with 5 fifties in the last 11 ODI matches and now with his first century in the format, he has made it clear that he is a match-winner be it red-ball cricket or white ball.

Maestro in Tests: Just a few days ago. during the fifth Test of the Pataudi Trophy, Pant made a 111-ball 146 after coming into bat at 64/3. He reached the century in just 89 balls.

  • It was the fastest Test century at Edgbaston
  • It was also the fastest Test century by an Indian wicketkeeper
  • It was the second-fastest Test ton for India in England
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His Test records in the 31 matches he has played is just incredible.

  • He has scored over 2,000 runs with 5 tons and 10 fifties.
  • Pant also has the record of most runs in a series by a wicketkeeper in Tests.
  • During the ICC World Test Championship, Pant made 720 runs in 10 matches.

Pant was the star performer as India retained the coveted Border-Gavaskar trophy with a historic three-wicket win over Australia in the fourth and final Test in Brisbane, successfully chasing a 328-run target to seal the four-match series 2-1. His 89 not out off 138 balls took India to one of its greatest Test wins ever.

 

Personality player: During the start of his career, Pant was criticised by many for giving away his wickets too easily and of not playing according to the situation or the format of the game. But, in the last two years, he has become more stable and has better control over his shots without compromising with his playing style.

Former England captain Naseer Hussein rightly described him as a personality player and not a situational player. A personality player, according to him, is one who doesn’t bat according to the situation but plays the game that suits his personality.

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Last updated: July 18, 2022 | 19:41
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