Pant's counter-attack propelled the visitors to set a daunting 372-run target for Sri Lanka.
Former cricketer Deep Dasgupta hailed Rishabh Pant as India’s ultimate match-winner following his game-changing second-innings performance in the Galle Test against Sri Lanka.
After gaining a substantial 178-run first-innings lead, India’s top order crumbled in the second essay. Batting at No. 5, Pant completely shifted the game's momentum by smashing a quickfire 66 off 69 balls. This explosive counter-attack propelled the visitors to set a daunting 372-run target for Sri Lanka.
During this knock, the wicketkeeper-batter smashed 8 fours and 2 sixes, scripting history by becoming the first Indian and the fastest player globally to hit 100 Test sixes. He reached the milestone in just 89 innings and from only 4,918 deliveries, shattering the previous records held by Australian legend Adam Gilchrist (137 innings and 6,578 balls).
"It's when you are in a spot of bother that Rishabh becomes valuable. Of course, a team shouldn't have 11 Rishabh Pants as that won't work either. The Indian team should look at it like a financial portfolio where you have certain high-risk options, some fixed deposits, and other safe investments. Much like how a KL Rahul-type player and a Yashasvi Jaiswal-type player is important to a team, a Pant-type player is just as important," Dasgupta said on his YouTube channel.
"My first thought as I watched Rishabh Pant was that he should be left alone. He is a maverick and a maverick has to be handled differently from the others. I am not saying he should get preferential treatment, but his methods are different from the rest and that must be considered when assessing him. He is a proven match-winner in this format. It's because of his 66 that India has reached such a solid position in this game," he added.
Deep Dasgupta strongly defended Rishabh Pant against critics who label his aggressive style as irresponsible, citing that there is a method behind the southpaw’s madness.
"Rishabh's value gets heightened more in such matches when there is some trouble. His knock singlehandedly made this into a one-sided affair. Though he won't win the Player of the Match award, he played a match-winning knock. This is why he should be left alone and not be praised or slammed based on the outcome of his shots. He is a very smart cricketing brain, so there is a method behind his madness. Only he knows that method and can execute it like very few can," Dasgupta remarked.
Coming to the match, India moved closer to victory as Sri Lanka slipped to 175/6 at lunch on Day 5, chasing a target of 372 runs. The tourists need four more wickets in the remaining two sessions to secure victory and gain a 1-0 lead in the two-Test series.