Uncluttered Rishabh Pant charts his own path

Mumbai: A man who survived a potential career-ending accident tried to help India survive a reputation-denting incident. He failed, only just.  

It’s bad enough that India had lost the three-match series 2-0 before coming to Mumbai, but a whitewash against New Zealand would have been a new low at home. 

For two days in the third Test, India looked like they had rediscovered their mojo, and even got the crowd believing that they were back to their dominant best, even if a little late in the series. But after 43 deliveries, they were down five wickets for 29 runs in pursuit of 147. 

Out walked Rishabh Pant as if the first ray of light after a frigid night.

Nearly two years ago, Pant met with a car crash in which most of his body was battered. Doctors even considered amputating his leg. They didn’t, but they weren’t so sure he was going to be able to walk. 

Well, that’s because they were studying his body, not ever trying to understand his mind, his heart, his soul. Why would they? They had seen incidents like this before, and rarely have people come out of it without physiological and psychological trauma. 

Not only did the man re-learn how to walk, but he even re-learned to do things most could never learn to do in the first place. Pant was back.  

He flew to the United States to play Ireland in India’s T20 World Cup opener after nearly two years. He flew to Sri Lanka to play a bilateral ODI series against Sri Lanka after nearly two years. He was in Chennai to play Bangladesh in his first Test after nearly two years. 

India knew they needed him, but until this Test, they didn’t know just how badly.

Sweat and anxiety

Down four wickets for 84 runs as stumps approached on the opening day in the first innings, Pant strode through a curtain of sweat and anxiety and played out one delivery to remain unbeaten overnight.  

The next day, with India still trailing New Zealand’s first innings score of 235 by 149 runs, Pant went at New Zealand’s bowlers as if he alone was batting on a different pitch. 

Turn didn’t matter, straighter ones didn’t matter, Ajaz Patel didn’t matter, the situation didn’t matter. Pant was uncompromising and India managed to take the lead on the back of his 60. 

On Sunday, in the second innings, India were down three wickets for 18 runs (a new norm) in pursuit of 147.  

Not bothered by the goings-on of mortals, he smacked only his third delivery over Ajaz’s head for a six. Statement made, Pant thought he’d relax a little, but India lost Yashavi Jaiswal and Sarfaraz Khan with only one ball bowled between these dismissals. India’s score: five for 29. 

On came, Jadeja, and finally Pant found a partner willing to hang around long enough so he could do his thing. That lasted all of 42 runs, but in a game like this, every run was gold. That is why when Jadeja looked to whip the ball off his pads and ended up offering short-leg a catch, Pant could barely look at his partner. He threw his head back in disbelief and frustration.

How much longer did he have to do this on his own?

He managed to stick it to the Kiwis for another 35 runs with Washington Sundar at the other end, but in one fell swoop TV umpire Paul Reiffel put an end to Pant’s hope of an epic victory. 

The crowd applauded him as he begrudgingly walked away, but within seconds they were back to the game at hand. After all, India still had three wickets to get the 41 runs needed. 

Yeah, that didn’t work out so well in the end, and it’s a shame. But, in Pant, they have not only seen the future, but they have also seen that these aggressive ideals they’ve spoken of ad nauseam can be achieved in the present. 

Sure, Pant is a generational talent who makes cricket look a lot easier than it is. That doesn’t change the fact that the batters need to get their priorities right and take opportunities seriously. 

Pant, for instance, has scored 422 runs in five Tests, including a century and three half-centuries. It’s unsure if this is because he’s grateful for his spot in the team or because he’s grateful for his life.