"Future Captain" - Fans hail Rishabh Pant as he hits career-best 85 in 2nd ODI vs South Africa

Rishabh Pant's counter-attacking 85 helped Team India set a competitive target of 288 in front of South Africa in the second ODI in Paarl. All-rounders Shardul Thakur (40*) and Ravichandran Ashwin (25*) also chipped in useful cameos to help India's cause in the first innings.

After opting to bat first, Team India got off to a decent start as KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan put on 63 in 11.4 overs for the first wicket. But the hosts came back into the contest by dismissing Dhawan and Virat Kohli in quick succession.

Captain Rahul (55) and Pant stitched together a valuable 115-run partnership to steer India out of trouble. The visitors kept losing wickets following this match-defining stand. Shreyas Iyer and Venkatesh Iyer again failed to utilize their chances as they perished without significant contributions.

Fans heaped praise on Pant for his aggressive knock and proclaimed that he is a strong captaincy candidate for India in the future. They also recognized the useful contribution of Shardul Thakur in the end and hailed him for his batting exploits.

"India getting close to 290 is mostly the Pant effect" - Sanjay Majrekar

Former Indian batter Sanjay Manjrekar praised Rishabh Pant's fearless knock in the second ODI. He felt Pant's innings was the major reason behind India reaching 287. Speaking to ESPNcricinfo, Sanjay Manjrekar reviewed the first innings of the second ODI and said:

The onus is now on the bowlers to defend a decent total, which will allow India to level the series 1-1.

About the author

Balakrishna has been a cricket writer at Sportskeeda for almost seven years. A sport that he has been following and playing since he was eight, Balakrishna enjoys the intensity of the sport, skills and strategies applied to get a result out of nowhere, and the thrill that it gives. He also played as a medium pace bowling all-rounder in four inter-college tournaments, winning twice.

Balakrishna’s all-time favorite cricketers are Sachin Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma. He admires Sachin’s stellar performances against legendary bowlers, along with his discipline and humility. Meanwhile, he is a big fan of how Rohit turned around his initial struggles to build a successful career.

He avidly supports Team India and 2016 IPL winners SunRisers Hyderabad. The first World Cup that Balakrishna ever saw was the 2003 World Cup, when Australia comprehensively triumphed over India in the final.

While working, he ensures he only uses reliable sources and provides relevant, ethical, and accurate information. When not working, Balakrishna enjoys playing table tennis and reading non-fiction books.

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