Rishabh Pant played one of the greatest Test knocks for India in 2021 in the fourth Test against Australia at Gabba, as the southpaw wreaked havoc with an unbeaten 89 to help India win a historic game of cricket. With that, the visitors sealed the series 2-1 in style, which was even more spectacular given that multiple first-choice players were not available for selection due to the injuries or personal reasons.
India are currently on a tour to Australia, their first time since that famous series win in 2020-21. In the first Test, the visiting side picked up a 295-run win to take a 1-0 lead in the series. Ahead of the second Test in Adelaide,a pink-ball Test, former India coach Rahul Dravid recalled Pant’s 2021 heroics, noting that it was a sensational watch. He also highlighted that after MS Dhoni retired, there were doubts about who could replace the legendary cricketer but he stated that he is happy with how Pant is progressing.
“I think Rishabh’s was an incredible performance. Watching Rishabh there and chasing to get 89 to win that Test match at the Gabba, with everything on the line and such a depleted side, to put in that kind of performance under that kind of pressure—truly sensational. What a special cricketer he’s been. He’s just taken to Test cricket like a duck to water. It’s just phenomenal. I mean, it’s hard to imagine that, after Dhoni left, you felt there might be some time for someone to come in and replace him. I’m not saying he’s replaced him, but certainly in Test cricket, his performances have been absolutely sensational,” Dravid told to Star Sports.
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Dravid also opened up on his double century against Australia in Adelaide in the 2003 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. On that innings being termed as a fan favourite, the 51-year-old stated that he would not have voted for his knock as India failed to win the series that time. He noted that the last two batches have won Test series in Australia which holds more value to him.
“I’m grateful for it, but I wouldn’t have voted for myself, put it that way. Probably I’ve got a lot of recency bias as well. I think the way India has performed in Australia over the last two series in particular—winning series there—that counts for a lot. However great my performances were or India’s performances were, we couldn’t actually win that series. We came close, but we couldn’t get the wickets on the final day in Sydney that we needed. The last two teams that have gone to Australia have done that, and that’s a fantastic achievement,” Dravid said.
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