Rishabh Pant's 'six-hitting' act gives India great hope amid star's injury woes

Star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant is likely to give a big boost to the Indian team in the second innings of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand. Concerned about his fitness, Pant was seen taking throws during the tea break on day three and was also given a boost in the dressing room. Pant was stretchered off the field on the second day due to a knee injury. He did not take the field on the third day as Dhruv Jurel returned in New Zealand to keep the gloves.

Since the ICC only allows one replacement during the game in case of concussion, Jurel cannot bat in place of Pant in the second innings.

However, it is a welcome news for Indian cricket fans that Pant is most likely to bat on Day 4. In a viral video, Pant was seen taking throws.

Pants are backkk pic.twitter.com/uNZSH0Hjyl

– Sunil (@Hitting_Middle) October 18, 2024

Pant will join Sarfaraz Khan in the middle for the first ball on Day 4. Sarfaraz was unbeaten on 70 as Virat Kohli was dismissed on the last ball before stumps on Day 3.

Kohli was batting on 70 before Glenn Phillips got the better of him, leaving everyone in the stadium, including India captain Rohit Sharma, stunned.

Kohli, batting at number 3 for the second time in this Test, turned the tables after being dismissed for a duck in the first innings.

Before this game, Kohli had last batted at No. 3 in 2016 and had a modest average of 19.40 at the position. However, he showed his class in the second innings, scoring his first Test half since December 2023. Alongside Sarfaraz Khan, Kohli forged a crucial 136-run partnership that revitalized India's innings.

Needing 53 runs to cross the 9,000-run mark, Kohli reached his half-century off 70 balls, five boundaries and a majestic six off Ajaz Patel. He then carefully accumulated the additional three runs needed to reach the milestone, taking nine more balls.

Kohli became the 18th player to score 9,000 runs in Test cricket and was the only active player in this exclusive club alongside Joe Root and Steve Smith. He also became the fourth Indian to achieve this feat, following in the footsteps of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sunil Gavaskar.

(With ANI inputs)