The Indian top order once again failed to give the side a strong start, and on Day 2 of the final Test, Rishabh Pant walked in with his side reeling at 59/3 and went on to hit the fastest fifty by a visiting batter on Australian soil.
Pant's contribution of 61 off 33 deliveries, laced with six fours and four sixes, was termed truly remarkable by India great Sachin Tendulkar.
On a wicket where majority of the batters have batted at a SR of 50 or less, @RishabhPant17's knock with a SR of 184 is truly remarkable. He has rattled Australia from ball one. It is always entertaining to watch him bat. What an impactful innings!" Tendulkar posted on X.
Pant completed his fifty off 29 balls with a six off Mitchell Starc. He surpassed the previous 33-ball efforts by England's John Brown at Melbourne in 1895 and West Indies' Roy Fredericks at Perth in 1975. It was also the second-fastest half-century by an Indian batter in a Test match.
The fastest half-century record by an Indian batter in a Test match is also owned by Pant, who achieved it in 28-ball against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022.
The wicketkeeper-batter's knock finally came to an end as Pat Cummins ended the run through an outside edge to Alex Carey behind the wickets. Pant slammed 61 off 33 balls studded with four sixes and six fours.
He was also involved in a 46-run crucial partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to take India's total past three figures.
India finished the day at 141/6 and would hope for some valuable additions by Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar, who batted out at stumps, to add valuable runs before the side comes in to defend what looks like a modest total in the making.
With the series visitors leading the series 2-1, the Indian bowling attack would need to be at its peak in the final innings if India was to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
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