Rishabh Pants took a brutal bouncer on the side of his helmet while fighting Mitchell Starc's relentless pace. The incident, which occurred during the second session of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, left the Indian wicketkeeper visibly shaken but undeterred.
of India innings slumped after another shaky start, collapsing to 72/4 by the second session. The stage was set for a classic rescue act, and as always, Pant rose to the challenge. But this was not a smooth sailing trip. It was a tough, body-on-the-line effort.
Starc's Scorcher Leaves Pant Reeling
The incident happened early in the afternoon when Starc bowled a thunderous bouncer. It was pitch-perfect, shrill and downright badass. Pants, taken by surprise, did not have time to swing or duck. The ball bounced off the grill of his helmet, sending shockwaves through the stadium.
Starc, ever the sportsman, stepped up to immediately check Pant. Indian physios rushed to the field, ensuring that the wicketkeeper-batsman was fit to continue. A moment of company broke the intensity for the moment, but Pant's determination was written all over his face.
https://twitter.com/cricketcomau/status/1875019635822559412
India's top order collapses again
The day started badly for India. Yashasvi Jaiswal AND KL Rahul were back within the first hour, leaving the team reeling at 17/2. Rahul's botched defense of Boland and Jaiswal's tremendous drive led to their undoing.
Shubman Gill showed promise, staying for a while. However, a reckless stroke on Nathan Lyon's last delivery before lunch undid all his efforts. Gill's dismissal at 28 added to India's woes.
Then it came Virat Kohli. He survived a controversial catch that was not dismissed but failed to capitalize. His innings ended with a tame lead to the slips for just 17 runs, giving Boland his second scalp.
With India staring into the abyss, Rishabh Pant stood in the middle Australia and total dominance. The Australians targeted him with short deliveries, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc taking turns testing his resolve.
Body blows, verbal barrages and a hostile field didn't stop him. Despite wearing obvious battle scars, Pant held his ground, defending strongly and occasionally finding the boundary. At Tea on Day 2, India are 107/4 with their trousers batting in the 32 overs.
Stay updated with all the cricket action, follow Cricadium IN WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, telegram AND Instagram
Source link