IND vs AUS: Rishabh Pant has solely scored 154 runs within the collection, at a mean of twenty-two, that has led to India’s failure.
“Stupid, stupid, stupid”, is what Sunil Gavaskar had famously said on air, when Rishabh Pant tried to execute a shot while taking a fall, and eventually getting dismissed after edging it, in Melbourne first innings. Then in the second innings, when India was to save the Test match, he played a rash shot off Nathan Lyon, to be caught by Mitch Marsh at deep long long, triggering a collapse for India.
Rishabh Pant Ordinary in IND vs AUS Series
From being 121/3, the team was bundled out for 155, to lose the fourth Test by 184 runs. Post this performance, now Rishabh Pant‘ spot in the Test Team for the fifth match is under scanner. And why not, he has been a failure in BGT 2024-25, scoring only 154 runs in 4 matches, at an average of 22. He has returned with scores of 37, 1, 21, 28, 9, 28, and 30.
So, as per rumours, he is all but out for the Sydney Test. There is no denying that he was irresponsible in this match and others, but then do we really have replacements for a player, who can really change the course of the match. Well, the answer can be a tricky yes and no. There is a certain Dhruv Jurel in the team, who is waiting in the wings for his turn.
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Dhruv Jurel in Contention
The latter has been Australia for two months now, and has just played the Perth Test — where he scored 11 & 1, and since then has warmed the bench. He was part of the IND A vs AUS A FC matches, and was impressive there, in Melbourne, where he had scored 80 and 68 in both the innings. He has been in decent form in whatever matches Dhruv Jurel has played, and had scored 93 for ROI in the Irani Trophy, vs Mumbai before that.
While understandably, Jurel might not be as flamboyant as Rishabh Pant, but then he certainly can offer the much-needed stability in the middle-order, that the southpaw hasn’t been able to provide in the series. His numbers in the limited Tests he has played, aren’t bad either.
Gautam Gambhir & Management to Take Final Call
In the four matches he has played, he has scored 202 runs, with a best of 90 vs England, at an average of 40. In FC matches, in 22 encounters, he has 1235 runs to his name, at an average of 45. So, if the selectors and the team management be brave for the next match, Jurel might not be a bad option for the SCG, and Pant will also be taught a lesson.
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