Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant sent the ball off the ground with a sensational six off New Zealand off-spinner Tim Southee during the first Test. The New Zealand fielders, including Glenn Phillips and non-striker KL Rahul, dropped their jaws after Rishabh Pant’s six.
Sarfaraz Khan scored his first international century, reaching 150 runs in the second session and was dismissed by Tim Southee on 85. He hit 150 runs including 18 fours and 3 sixes. It helped turn India’s position from a potential defeat to a strong lead in the Test match.
Watch: Glenn Phillips admires Rishabh Pant’s 107-metre six
The incident happened in the third ball of the 87th over in India’s second innings. Tim Southee spins the ball around the stumps to trouble Rishabh, who is batting in the 90s. The ball connected to the Indian cricketer’s bat reverberated throughout the Bengaluru stadium.
Witnessing the final moments of the red ball in the Test match, the left-hander caught the attention of the players and fans. Glenn Phillips was shocked, his jaw nearly dropped, while KL Rahul smiled wryly as he calmly appreciated his teammate Pant’s impressive knock in the match.
Here’s a video of Rishabh’s monster six off Tim Southee during the match:
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Pant moved to 96 with this six. However, New Zealand fast bowler William O’Rourke dismissed the batter after scoring 99 runs off 105 balls, including nine fours and five sixes. William O’Rourke dismissed KL Rahul who scored just 12 runs to restrict India to 438/6 before the tea break.
Most dismissals in Tests for India in the 90s
| Player | Layoffs in the 90s |
|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 10 |
| Rahul Dravid | 9 |
| Rishabh pants | 7 |
| Sunil Gavaskar | 5 |
| MS Dhoni | 5 |
| Virender Sehwag | 5 |
Rishabh Pant’s Last Five Knocks in 3rd Innings of Test
| Account | They will oppose | Location | year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100* (139) | South Africa | Cape Town | 2022 |
| 50 (31) | Sri Lanka | Bungalow | 2022 |
| 57 (86) | England | Edgbaston | 2022 |
| 109 (128) | Bangladesh | Chennai | 2024 |
| 99 (104) | New Zealand | Bungalow | 2024 |
Keepers dismissed at 99 in Tests
| Player | Team | They will oppose | Location | year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brendon McCullum | New Zealand | Sri Lanka | Napier | 2005 |
| MS Dhoni | India | England | Nagpur | 2012 |
| Jonny Bairstow | England | South Africa | Old Trafford | 2017 |
| Rishabh pants | India | New Zealand | Bungalow | 2024 |
With New Zealand batting last, India seem to have the upper hand in the match now. However, it is important to remember that there is still a long way to go in the game. The team’s hopes of a strong performance hinge on all-rounders Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin who can contribute with the bat.
