India vs South Africa Test series: 3 reasons Rishabh Pant could be a decisive factor for Team India

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant is on the threshold of a major milestone—he is en route to becoming the fastest Indian wicketkeeper to bag 100 dismissals in Test cricket.

Having represented the team in 25 Tests, Pant is closing in on former captain MS Dhoni’s record of 100 dismissals in 36 Tests. He currently has 97 dismissals to his name and the upcoming series in a hitherto unconquered bastion provides a befitting occasion for the landmark.

The series is being billed as India’s golden opportunity to script a maiden Test series win in South Africa. Given the way he has fashioned himself over the years in the longest format of the game, Pant is a key player for India’s chances of winning.

In this light, let us look at three reasons why Pant can be a vital component in Team India’s plans:

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#3. Pant’s track record away from home

Pant has been in scintillating touch during Team India's overseas campaigns.

Pant’s heroics at the Gabba are still fresh in every Indian cricket fan’s mind. But that was just the latest in a series of riveting knocks the unorthodox batter has conjured abroad. His short career so far stands out for his excellent overseas record.

He has played 18 out of his cumulative 25 Tests away from home, with a healthy average of 35. He is the only Indian wicket-keeper to have scored centuries in England and Australia, and is also the first Indian wicket-keeper to score a 150 in Test cricket abroad.

Moreover, the southpaw is only the second visiting wicketkeeper in Test history to have scored a century in both England and Australia.

In cricket, past performances may not mean much for the future, but Pant’s sterling numbers abroad will certainly boost the team’s prospects. Come Boxing Day, Pant could well turn out to be the Proteas’ nemesis.

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#2. Outstanding strike rate

A good strike rate may not be as important in red-ball cricket as it is in shorter formats. But certain batters have distinguished themselves with their flair for scoring runs quickly in Tests. One only needs to recall the impact of Adam Gilchrist and Virender Sehwag on the opposition bowling line-up.

Rishabh Pant’s Test strike rate stands at a remarkable 67.7. No wonder he has managed to create an impression in the game at such an early phase in his career.

His maiden Test century against England at Kensington Oval back in 2018 came off 117 balls. The following year, he made 159* off 189 balls against the Aussies at the SCG. Moreover, it took only 138 balls for his masterful 89* to take India home at the Gabba last year.

The disdain with which Pant treated the likes of Pat Cummins and James Anderson on their home turf will surely be a burning topic of discussion in the Proteas bowling camp.

Stroke-playing comes naturally to Rishabh Pant

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#1. The fourth innings specialist

Pant's Test average of 39.7 rises meteorically to 71.8 in the fourth innings of Test matches. Test cricket has had specialists of different types—the No.4 specialist, the counter-attacking batter at No.7, or the No.3 specialist who can bat in the middle-order and also play the new ball. It is difficult for Pant to fit into these categories because he has played crucial knocks at No.5 as well as No.7.

However, Pant can be described as a fourth innings specialist, a batter who loves to take on opposition bowlers on deteriorating tracks. It is no coincidence that both his centuries abroad came in the fourth innings. He also has four half-centuries under his belt in the final innings of tests.

The fourth innings in a test is not every batter's cup of tea—apart from the crumbling surface, there is the challenge of taking the team home or bailing them out from a difficult position. Not many teams today can boast of a batter who has a knack for consistent run-scoring in the fourth innings.

Given South Africa’s inexperienced batting line-up, the flamboyant Pant in the middle-order definitely gives Team India’s batting line up an advantage.

Rishabh Pant has a penchant for the fourth innings

Rishabh Pant brings to the table the proverbial complete package – grit, intent and an equanimity that is so crucial in red-ball cricket as contests often transform into battles of temperament. The range of his shots reveals a fiercely individualized style. He is a non-conformist batter who exults in pushing the boundaries of his own style and refuses to let the situation dictate his approach.

Pant is a novice when it comes to Test cricket in the Rainbow Nation, known for its hard, seaming tracks. But this argument might not hold strong, as Pant was also new to the English and Australian conditions.

No wonder the Proteas bowlers will be wary of Team India’s maverick wicket-keeper batter.