‘My retention wasn’t about money for sure’: Pant reveals ahead of IPL auction
India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has revealed that his release from Delhi Capitals squad ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction was not about the money.
Young Delhi cricketer Rishabh Pant on Friday became only the fourth Indian wicket-keeper batsman to score 150 runs during the last Test match against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG).
On the second Day of the fourth Test, Pant remained unbeaten on 159 as Virat Kohli-led team India declared innings after scoring 622 runs for the loss of seven wickets. In the process, Pant also became the only Indian wicket-keeper batsman to score a century in Australia.
It was also the 21-year-old stylish batsman’s only second hundred in Tests since making his debut in the longest format of the game in England last year.
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Earlier during India’s tour of England that Virat Kohli’s side lost 4-1, Pant was heavily criticised for his rash shots. However, Pant has shut down his doubters with his brilliant batting during the Australia series.
Rishabh Pant’s 159* is the second-highest Test score by a visiting wicketkeeper in Australia, behind only ABdV’s 169 in Perth, 2012 #AUSvIND
— Adam Burnett (@AdamBurnett09) January 4, 2019
Hundreds by India’s WKs outside Asia:
118 Vijay Manjrekar v WI, 1959
115*Ajay Ratra v WI, 2002
104 Wriddhiman Saha v WI, 2016
114 Rishabh Pant v Eng, 2018
100*RISHABH PANT v Aus, 2019#AUSvIND— Deepu Narayanan (@deeputalks) January 4, 2019
With his unbeaten 159 runs knock, Pant joined the elite list of Budhi Kunderan (192), Nayan Mongia (152) and MS Dhoni (224) as only the fourth Indian wicketkeeper to score 150 in Test cricket.
Interestingly, three of above mentions four knocks (Mongia, Dhoni and Pant) have come against the Oz team. Budhi Kunderan’s 192 runs knock had come against the English team.
The Delhi batsman earned his first Test call during India’s tour to England last year and soon replaced Dinesh Karthik after his poor performance with the bat. Pant scored his maiden Test hundred in only his third Test against England.
During West Indies’s tour to India last year, Pant was dismissed twice at the score of 92 runs.
In the ongoing Test series in Australia, Rishabh Pant (350) is the second highest run-scorer. He is only behind Cheteshwar Pujara (521).
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