NEW DELHI: Rishabh Pant‘s performance in the Brisbane Test during India’s 2020-21 tour of Australia stands out as one of the most memorable in recent Indian cricket history.
This Test, part of the famous Border Gavaskar Trophy, took place at the Gabba in Brisbane, where Australia had remained unbeaten for 32 years.
The series was tied 1-1, and this was the decider.India had already suffered multiple injuries, and many key players were unavailable for the final match.
Chasing 328 for victory, on a deteriorating fifth-day pitch, Pant came in at No. 5 when India were in a challenging situation, with the game still hanging in the balance.
Pant scored an unbeaten 89 off 138 balls and his aggressive, counter-attacking approach put the pressure back on Australia. Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Pant remained calm and played a fearless brand of cricket, combining solid defense with calculated aggression.
India chased down the target of 328, winning by 3 wickets. This was the highest successful run-chase at the Gabba and one of the highest in India’s history.
Australia hadn’t lost at the Gabba since 1988, making India’s win historic and Pant took the intimidating Australian attack on a challenging fifth-day track by the scruff of its neck to conjure up an unbeaten 89-run knock that powered India to a 2-1 Test series victory and retaining the Border Gavaskar Trophy.
The three-wicket win at the Gabba on the final day meant that India won an unprecedented back-to-back Test series victory Down Under.
India did not play Pant in either the preceding ODI or the T20 series. But the wicketkeeper-batsman made an impression in the Test series, playing a combative 97-run knock in the second innings in Sydney and the match-winning knock in Brisbane.
This innings cemented Pant‘s reputation as a game-changer in Test cricket, known for his fearless style and his effort in the Brisbane Test is remembered as one of the most iconic performances by an Indian player in an away series.
