Rishabh Pant resists a brutal bouncer from Mitchell Starc

Rishabh Pant took a brutal bounce to the side of his helmet as he battled Mitchell Starc’s relentless pace. The incident, which occurred during the second session of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground, left the Indian wicketkeeper visibly shaken but unfazed.

India’s innings teetered on the edge after another shaky start, collapsing to 72/4 in the second session. The stage was set for a classic rescue act and as always, Pant rose to the challenge. But this was not an easy journey. It was a brave effort and a lot of effort.

Starc’s Scorcher leaves the pants wobbly

The incident occurred early in the afternoon when Starc unleashed a thunderous bouncer. It was pitched perfectly, high-pitched and downright unpleasant. Pant, taken by surprise, had no time to swing or duck. The ball bounced off the grille of his helmet, sending shock waves throughout the stadium.

Starc, ever the sportsman, came over to check on Pant immediately. The Indian physiotherapists rushed onto the field, ensuring that the wicketkeeper-batsman was fit to continue. A moment of camaraderie broke the intensity momentarily, but Pant’s determination was written all over his face.

India’s top order crumbles once again

The day started badly for India. Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul were dismissed in the first hour, leaving the team reeling at 17/2. Rahul’s misguided defense against Boland and Jaiswal’s eye-catching drive led to his downfall.

Shubman Gill showed promise, stabilizing the innings for a while. However, a careless hit on Nathan Lyon’s final delivery before lunch undid all their efforts. Gill’s sacking at the age of 28 added to India’s woes.

Then came Virat Kohli. He survived a controversial capture that was not ruled out but that he failed to capitalize on. Their innings ended with a tame lead at slips of just 17 runs, giving Boland his second scalp.

As India stared into the abyss, Rishabh Pant stood between Australia and total domination. The Australians attacked him with short pitches, Scott Boland and Mitchell Starc taking turns testing his resolve.

Body shots, verbal volleys and a hostile pitch did little to deter him. Despite bearing visible signs of battle, Pant stood his ground, defending himself bravely and occasionally finding the boundary. At Tea on Day 2, India are 107/4 and Pant is batting on 32.

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