Risbabh Pant slammed a quickfire 96 in the first innings of the first Test against Sri Lanka on Friday (March 4).
India won the toss and opted to bat first but the opener failed to fire, as Rohit Sharma and Mayank Agarwal got out cheaply. Hanuma Vihari struck a brilliant fifty and Virat Kohli, playing in his 100th Test, scored 45 but they too departed soon.
Check out LIVE scorecard and updates from 1st IND vs SL Test here
Rishabh Pant took over and raced to a 96 before being bowled Lakmal, blasting 9 fours and 4 sixes in his innings, playing with a strike rate of over 100 runs in most part of the innings.
After Kohli and Shreyas Iyer were gone, it seemed as if Sri Lankans will finish the day with an advantage but it was the special skills of Pant which did not let them do so as he started smashing bowlers all over the park.
His gutsy strokeplay won the hearts of millions of Indian cricket fans, some of them took to Twitter to shower praise on the young wicket-keeper/batter.
Here's how Twitter reacted to his strokeplay:
6.6.4 - 'Pant'astic __
Live - https://t.co/c2vTOXAx1p #INDvSL @Paytm pic.twitter.com/tm6WlV1WS9
— BCCI (@BCCI) March 4, 2022
If Kohli's entry was the switch from EDM to Punjabi, Pant's batting in the last two overs is reminiscent of the DJ playing 'Ishq Tera Tadpave' and 'Saddi Rail Gaddi Aayi'
The stadium is completely buzzing at the moment with chants of 'Rishabh... Rishabh.... ' https://t.co/Eysb1dEW0j
— Gurkirat Singh Gill (@gurkiratsgill) March 4, 2022
Pant alone fired up the entire stadium! pic.twitter.com/lkj4qMTUIV
— anmol (@afewfoodstories) March 4, 2022
'I really don't give a **** what format this is' - R. Pant #INDvSL pic.twitter.com/Ex2T0ouloB
— SportRadioAS __ (@SportRadioAS1) March 4, 2022
When Virat Kohli will retire , I will watch cricket for Rishabh Pant _ pic.twitter.com/e5hEzIBMTJ
— CRICKET VIDEOS _ (@AbdullahNeaz) March 4, 2022
If assaulting opposition bowlers is an art then Rishabh Pant is a Picasso of it. pic.twitter.com/ICpqnTwwVx
— Shivani Shukla _ (@iShivani_Shukla) March 4, 2022
In Kohli's 100th against Lanka, Pant lavishes a 96 to remember. To those who missed, here's why. Pant got his first 50 in 73 balls. The next 46 was blitzkreiged in 24. Joy & devastation in one frame. Sad he finished 4 runs short of a memorable ton. #Pant #INDvSL
— Avijit Ghosh (@cinemawaleghosh) March 4, 2022
