Injury-hit India mull over Pant
Injured wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant could be retained in India’s depleted XI as a specialist batsman for the final test after his plucky knock at the SCG.
The tourists’ injury carnage, which continued when Hanuma Vihari tweaked his hamstring while running between the wickets on a dramatic final day of the third test, is set to create major headaches for selectors.
Vihari continued to bat after his setback yesterday but was clearly restricted.
India’s depth will be tested in Brisbane, where Virat Kohli (paternity leave), Mohammed Shami (arm) and Umesh Yadav (calf), Ishant Sharma (side), Bhuvneshwar Kumar (thigh), KL Rahul (wrist) and Ravindra Jadeja (thumb) will be unavailable. There are also questions over Pant and Vihari’s fitness.
Pant was rushed off for scans after being struck on the elbow by a delivery in India’s first innings of the SCG test, with the early fears being that Pat Cummins had inflicted serious damage.
Pant was unable to keep throughout Australia’s second innings, when substitute fielder Wriddhiman Saha took the gloves.
But the 23-year-old entered the fray yesterday, earlier than expected at No 5 after being promoted above Vihari, and produced a bedazzling counterpunch.
Pant scored five runs from his first 34 balls then sparked to life, crashing 12 fours and three sixes in an entertaining knock of 97 from 118 deliveries.
The aggressive wicketkeeperbatsman, who went down swinging at Nathan Lyon while on 97, will be assessed before the series finale starts at the Gabba on Friday.
India, who will be required to make at least one change because of Jadeja’s enforced omission, may opt to include both Pant and Saha in their side for the fourth test.
‘‘I’m pretty certain that they will,’’ Sunil Gavaskar said, when asked if India will consider picking Pant as a specialist batsman.
Meanwhile, Lyon took some punishment before dismissing Pant in the last over with the old ball to end a 148-run partnership and give Australia’s push for victory some momentum.
Lyon removed stand-in India captain Ajinkya Rahane (4) in the second over yesterday after the tourists resumed at 98-2 chasing 407 to win, but the Australians didn’t take another wicket in the opening session as Pant went on the attack. The injured Pant dominated a century fourthwicket stand with Pujara that gave India hope of an unlikely win.
But Lyon took the key wicket of Pant for 97 with the first ball of the 80th over and Josh Hazlewood bowled Pujara for 77 in the eighth over with the new ball to give Australia the edge as India reached tea at 280-5.
The equation for the final session: India needed 127 runs to ensure they retain the Border-Gavaskar or to bat through 36 overs for a draw, and Australia needed five wickets to take a 2-1 lead going into the fourth and final test at the Gabba.
The first two tests didn’t go to a fifth day, adding to the intrigue in Sydney.