Rishabh Pant's promotion at SCG 'masterstroke' by Ravi Shastri, Rahane: Adam Gilchrist

Rishabh Pant's short Test career has had its fair share of overly scrupulous scrutiny, especially in the last couple of years where the youngster has failed to live up to his hard-hitting potential. A more natural attacker of the ball, Pant's style has often been critiqued as not being suitable for the patient, restive style of play they believe Test cricket needs. After just about finding a place in the XI for the ongoing Border-Gavaskar trophy, Pant has proven once again, to his detractors that coach Ravi Shastri's faith in him in not wholly misplaced. 

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Adam Gilchrist's high praise for Rishabh Pant 

In January of 2019, as the Indian team were on the brink of their first test series victory Down Under, Rishabh Pant made his highest ever Test score of 159*. Despite having accumulated scores under 40 in all three Tests before this, Pant was kept on by the team management, and he delivered. This feat had earned Pant high praise from his Delhi IPL team coach, Ricky Pointing, who had compared the 23-year old to one of the greatest keeper/batsmen in Australian cricket - Adam Gilchrist.

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Proving that if you stick with him through the rough, he will come through for you, Pant came into the middle at the SCG injured and with the team staring at certain defeat in the face. Courting danger, and taking advantage of being dropped twice by the hosts, Pant played a near-perfect test innings in the situation. Taking 35 balls to settle in, Pant finished with 97 from 118 - a knock, that for a minute would have put some fear in the hearts of the Aussies and some hope in the hearts of the Indians. 

Pant's attacking knock, played opposite a starkly opposite one by Cheteshwar Pujara, has now earned the title of a 'masterstroke' from none other than Adam Gilchrist himself. Normally out at No. 6, Pant was promoted up the order by captain Ajinkya Rahane and Ravi Shastri, to have a left-hand/right-hand combination in the middle. Perfectly executed by Pant, this tactic earned India high dividends and high praise from Gilchrist as well as others who have acknowledged that it could have gone just as wrong had Pant not pulled it off. 

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India vs Australia 4th Test 2021

After rumours of a possible boycott by the Indian side, the India vs Australia 4th Test 2021 - the last in this lengthy series - will take place at its scheduled location in Brisbane. The match will begin at 5:00 AM IST (10:00 AM local time) from January 15-19. It can be watched live on Sony Ten 1, 3 and Six and on the SonyLIV app and website. With the series level at 1-1, this match will decide if India retain the Border-Gavaskar trophy once again, or if the Aussies win it back for the first time after the 2014-15 series. 

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Image Credits: PTI & Sachin Tendulkar Twitter