Rishabh Pant sets unique batting record in Australia

Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant has set a unique batting record in Australia by becoming the first visiting batsman to score over 25 runs in nine consecutive innings.

Rishabh Pant went past Wally Hammond (England), Rusi Surti (India) and Viv Richards (West Indies), who scored 25+ runs in eight consecutive innings.

During the third day’s play in the third Test between India and Australia at Sydney Cricket Ground, Rishabh Pant surpassed another milestone as he crossed the 400-run mark in the country. Playing his ninth innings in Australia, Rishabh Pant now averages over 58 in the country.

Rishabh Pant's only century in Australia (159*) came during the Sydney Test of 2019.

Rishabh Pant becomes the first visiting player to score 25+ in nine consecutive innings in Australia, surpassing Viv Richards, Wally Hammond and Rusi Surti 🤩👏#AUSvsIND pic.twitter.com/6XT5nwennr

— Sportskeeda (@Sportskeeda) January 9, 2021

Rishabh Pant walked in to bat at 142/4 after the run out of Hanuma Vihari, and immediately counterattacked. But Pant was soon hit on his elbow by a bumper, and he didn't look comfortable after that.

The youngster departed in the 88th over for a 67-ball 36, with four fours to his name.

Rishabh Pant under fire

Overlooked for the first Test at Adelaide Oval, Rishabh Pant replaced Wriddhiman Saha for the Boxing Day Test at Melbourne. He scored a vital 29 in the first innings, a knock that played a small part in India’s memorable win at the venue.

However, the southpaw has been under fire for his shoddy glovework. Earlier in the ongoing Sydney Test, he dropped Will Puckovski twice as the debutant registered his maiden fifty.

Australian legend Ricky Ponting, who is also incidentally Rishabh Pant’s coach at Delhi Capitals (DC) in the IPL, criticised the southpaw for his wicketkeeping, stating that no keeper has dropped as many catches since his debut.

“The ones (dropped catches) today are two that should be taken, simple as that. It’s probably lucky for Rishabh that Pucovski didn’t go on and make a big hundred or a double hundred and looking at the wicket, it looks like an unbelievable surface,” Ricky Ponting told cricket.com.au.

At the time of writing this piece, India were staring down the barrel at 231/9, facing a deficit of 107 runs with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Siraj out in the middle.