NEW DELHI: India placed their hopes on Rishabh Pant on Day 3 of the fourth Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, expecting the star wicketkeeper-batter to steer the team out of a challenging situation. While Pant initially looked in great touch, he soon gifted his wicket to Australia in a moment of poor judgment.
The turning point came in fast bowler Scott Boland‘s over.
Pant attempted a pick-up lap over fine leg but missed, with the ball striking him on the stomach, causing visible discomfort.
On the very next delivery, instead of taking time to recover, Pant walked across the off-stump and premeditated another lap shot. This time, the ball skewed high toward deep third man, where Nathan Lyon completed a well-judged catch.
Pant’s dismissal drew sharp criticism for his reckless approach.
“What a crap shot by Rishabh Pant. Ego pe baat aa gayi thi and ego kha gya. Terrible way to get out, and Pant is flop in this series so far,” a user commented on social media.
“Rishabh Pant playing that pre-meditated ramp shot to a ball pitched outside offstump to get out. Looks Indian batsmen have given this up,” another user wrote.
The five-match series, currently tied at 1-1, has been a thrilling contest so far.
India claimed a dominant 295-run win in Perth, while Australia bounced back with a 10-wicket victory in Adelaide. The rain-affected third Test in Brisbane ended in a draw, setting up a decisive showdown in Melbourne.