Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant spoke about the Gabba Test victory that helped Team India seal the series against Australia for the second time in a row. He revealed that Rohit Sharma came to him and made him realize what he had done.
Rishabh Pant was one of the main architects of India’s famous victory at the Gabba in 2021. Team India breached the stronghold of Australia and won the series by a margin of 2-1. It was the first time in 32 years that the hosts lost a Test match in Brisbane.
While senior players at one end tried to hold the other end and force a draw, Rishabh Pant had other plans. He attacked the Australian bowlers and smashed them all over the park, putting pressure on them.
Rishabh Pant revived the hopes of Indian fans and made sure to keep his team in the hunt. The wicketkeeper-batsman counter-attacked and made Australia look clueless. The players looked threatening at one point, but he made sure to attack them.
On the anniversary of the Gabba Test victory, Rishabh Pant recalled the miraculous victory. He said that he was not celebrating like others, but it was Rohit Sharma who made him realize it. He revealed the conversation and while speaking to Star Sports, he stated:
“I remember what Rohit Sharma said. Many people told me special things, but I remember Rohit’s words well. I was watching my reaction. Everyone was happy, but he didn’t see me as excited as others,” Pant told Star Sports.
“He said ‘I don’t think you realize what you’ve done.’ I told him ‘yes, we won a game, we won a series here for the second time.’
“He told me ‘when you leave cricket, you will understand the importance of these innings because you don’t know what you have done.’ “Then I realized what he had done,” he added.
Rishabh Pant played an unbeaten innings of 89 runs off 138 balls. He also hit 9 fours and 1 six in his innings. His heroics also earned him the Man of the Match award. He also played a sensational innings in Sydney that helped India tie the game.
When I came into the Test team in 2018, Rishabh Pant remembered the thought process of Virat Kohli and Ravi Bishnoi.
Rishabh Pant, who made his Test debut in 2018, also revealed that when he joined the Test team, Virat Kohli and Ravi Shastri’s thought process was to win a Test abroad. He elaborated:
“When I came into the Test team in 2018, Virat Kohli Bhai and Ravi Bhai’s thought process was to win overseas. We want to be the best in the world.”
Rishabh Pant in a short period of time has become India’s best wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket. He is the only wicketkeeper in the team to have scored centuries in England, Australia and South Africa. Currently, the left-hander is working hard in the NCA for his comeback.
Rishabh Pant met with a tragic accident in 2022. He has been out of action since then. The wicketkeeper-batsman is likely to return in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 for Delhi Capitals. The entire nation is eager for us to return. His absence was quite evident in some of the games India lost. It remains to be seen how he will go about his business when he returns to competitive cricket.