Rahul Dravid Praises Rishabh Pant's Seamless Transition to Test Cricket
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New Delhi, Dec 4 (NationPress) Former India head coach Rahul Dravid shared his insights on Rishabh Pant's match-defining 89 not out against Australia at the Gabba during the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy series, noting that the wicketkeeper batsman has adapted to Test cricket with remarkable ease and referred to his performance in the red-ball format as exceptional.
Pant's heroic innings unfolded on the last day of the fourth and final Test, with India chasing a challenging target of 328. His aggressive batting not only secured a historic 3-wicket win but also ended Australia’s 32-year unbeaten run at the Gabba, clinching the series 2-1 for India.
Dravid remarked, “Rishabh's performance was extraordinary. Witnessing him chase down 89 to secure the Test match at the Gabba, under immense pressure and with a depleted team, is truly remarkable,” during his conversation with Star Sports.
Pant's statistics against Australia are impressive—over eight Tests, he has scored 662 runs at an average of 55.16, including two fifties and a century. His contributions during the 2018-19 and 2020-21 tours were pivotal in helping India win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, establishing him as a match-winner.
Dravid further stated, “He’s been an extraordinary cricketer. He’s just taken to Test cricket like a duck to water. It’s phenomenal. After Dhoni's departure, there were doubts about finding a replacement. I’m not suggesting he has replaced him, but his performances in Test cricket have been absolutely remarkable.”
Dravid also reminisced about the fact that, despite several outstanding performances by Indian batsmen in Australia over the years, his double century during the 2003 Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Adelaide remains a favorite among fans.
During the second Test of the 2003 series, after Australia scored 556 runs, India found themselves at 85/4 when VVS Laxman joined Dravid. Their partnership of 303 runs for the fifth wicket saw Dravid play a marathon innings of 233 runs.
Dravid reflected, “I’m thankful for it, but I wouldn’t have voted for myself. There’s a lot of recency bias involved. The way India has performed in Australia over the last two series—winning those series—counts significantly. My performances, or even India’s, couldn’t secure a series win.
“We came close, but we couldn’t take the necessary wickets on the final day in Sydney. The last two teams that visited Australia achieved that, which is a fantastic accomplishment—an incredible achievement—along with numerous sensational performances throughout those series,” Dravid added.
The batting legend followed up his initial impressive performance with an unbeaten 72 in the second innings as India chased down a 230-run target to secure a 4-wicket victory, marking their first-ever series lead against Australia.
Reflecting on walking in at 85-4 when Laxman joined him at the crease, Dravid stated, “I was thinking, ‘I’ve got the captain run out. I better do something meaningful.’ It was my mistake getting Saurav (Ganguly) run out. I take full responsibility for that. But when you’re out there, you aim to build a partnership and get to the target. 556 is a significant score. You’re just trying to form a partnership, especially after losing four wickets.
“Laxman and I had previously built significant partnerships, including one in Kolkata in 2001 and another in a domestic game against West Zone. While we didn’t think about that during our innings, our goal was to bat well and create partnerships,” Dravid recalled.
“As our partnership developed, the wicket became better for batting, the ball softened, and runs flowed more easily. Batting with Laxman is always a pleasure; he’s a beautiful player to watch and complements my style well,” Dravid concluded.
