Rishabh Pant’s ton on Day 3 helped Virat Kohli and co reach to a considerable total.
Team India’s wicket-keeper batsmen Rishabh Pant received a lot of criticism after the 24 year old played a reckless shot and threw his wicket in the second innings of the Wanderers test between India and South Africa at Johannesburg.
Pant slammed the critics by delivering an exceptional hundred in the series decider at Cape Town. Team India were under a lot of pressure as they lost the wickets of Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane within the first two overs on Day 3. When Pant arrived in the crease, team India were struggling at 58/4 with a lead of only 71 runs. Along with Virat Kohli, Pant pulled off a partnership of 96 runs until the Indian skipper lost his wicket while chasing the ball way outside the off stump.
Wickets started falling on one end but the Delhi based cricketer stood here and reached his 4th test hundred in just 139 deliveries. His unbeaten 100 run innings consisted of 6 fours and 4 sixes at a strike rate of 71.94. Team India posted a target of 212 in front of the Proteas thanks to Pant’s heroics.
Pant also broke MS Dhoni’s record and became the first Indian wicket-keeper batsman to score a ton in South Africa.
Various prominent figures from the cricket fraternity such as Rohit Sharma, Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Suresh Raina applauded Pant’s 100 run innings.
Pant has now scored a hundred in countries like England, Australia and South Africa. Pant has previously scored a century against England at the Oval in 2018 and against Australia at the SCG in 2019.