With Australia spinner Nathan Lyon picking four wickets in quick succession on the second day of the second Test match against India on a turning track at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, Indian fans couldn’t resist missing wicket-keeper batter Rishabh Pant knowing how he had dominated the Aussies during Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21.
Advertisement
Someone who would’ve been one of the key Indian players in this series, Pant isn’t part of the current Test squad due to an unfortunate car accident in December last year. Set to be out of action for some months, Pant is going to be a difficult entity to replace especially in Test cricket.
Pant, who averages and strikes at 63.90 and 92.20 respectively in home Tests, would’ve been a shot in the arm for the hosts in situations such as the current one where they have been reduced to 88/4 in 35 overs in the first session.
Wasim Jaffer misses Rishabh Pant as India struggle against Rishabh Pant in Delhi Test
Former India batter Wasim Jaffer was among the many users on social media platform Twitter who tweeted with respect to “missing” Pant. Jaffer, who is arguably the most creative former cricketer on this platform, took reference from Nida Fazli’s Urdu poem “Aaj zara fursat paayi thi, aaj tumhe phir yaad kiya [I am missing you]“.
Apart from Jaffer, there were many other users who imagined Pant taking charge against Lyon at the Arun Jaitley Stadium right now. A primary instance why Pant is considered to have the game to excel against Lyon is because of his past record. Pant, who averages 62.40 in 12 Test innings against Australia, has scored 1,150 runs at a strike rate of 87.51 against spinners at home.
India, meanwhile, are banking on former captain Virat Kohli and all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja to bail them out of trouble on Saturday.
