It was a heartbreaking moment for Rishabh Pant who missed a well-deserved century in the first Test against New Zealand. Pant agonizingly fell short of a century and was dismissed for 99 by William ORourke. The wicketkeeper-batter wanted to late cut the delivery but it came in and caught the inside edge as the ball ricocheted back onto the stumps. The wicket left the Indian fans in disbelief. KL Rahul at the other end was down on his hunches and there were glum faces in the dressing room, with Kohli and Gambhir in complete disbelief. The wicket was crucial for New Zealand as India were running away with the game.
Really Heart broking Moment 💔 RISHABH PANT 99 #RishabhPant#sarfrazkhan#INDvNZ#rishabhpic.twitter.com/5QilBKjm30
— विवेक हिंदुस्तानी (हिंदुत्व कि सेना) (@CvKcky) October 19, 2024
India are looking to set a decent target for New Zealand to chase in the fourth innings. The team was shot down for 46 in the first innings before New Zealand posted a mammoth 402 in the second innings. India made a magnificent recovery in the third innings and got rid of the lead without much trouble. Sarfaraz Khan was the cornerstone of the tremendous fightback as he scored a brilliant 150. He got the support of Rishabh Pant as the pair added 177 runs for the fourth wicket. Before the Sarfaraz – Pant show, Virat Kohli showed his class and played a 70-run knock to get India back in the game. Kohli was dismissed on the last ball of Day 3.
New Zealand were reeling when Sarfaraz and Pant were going all guns blazing, however, the wicket of Sarfaraz turned the game in favour of New Zealand. Pant followed soon after Sarfaraz's blow and India also lost KL Rahul soon after. India are 438-6 at the time of writing but the lead is mere 86 at Tea on Day 4. R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja are at the crease and the team needs a decent partnership from the veterans. The two bailed India out of trouble against Bangladesh and they need to do the same against New Zealand as well if India are to stay alive in the Test.