Cape Town: The ongoing third Test between India and South Africa has reached a turning point. In the second innings of the match, the Indian team was all out for 198 runs in their second innings. Rishabh Pant scored the highest 100 runs for the team and remained unbeaten. This was the fourth century of his Test career. With this, Pant has become the first Asian wicket-keeper to score a century in South Africa.
So far no Asian wicketkeeper has scored a century in Africa. Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kumar Sangakkara also could never score a century on African ground. Dhoni’s highest score in South Africa was 90 and Sangakkara’s 89. Pant faced 135 balls to complete his century. In which he hit six fours and four sixes.
Rishabh Pant scored a century after 10 months
Indian wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant has scored a century in international cricket after 10 months. He scored his fourth career century in the Cape Town Test against South Africa. The last century was made by Pant in March 2021 against England. Apart from this, he has scored a century against Australia in 2019 at the Sydney ground. At the same time, Pant scored the first century against England at Kennington Oval in 2018.
It is to be known that India had scored 223 runs in the first innings. In reply, the South African innings was reduced to 210 runs. In the second innings, the Indian team came out with a lead of 13 runs. In this sense, in the second innings, India has set a target of 212 runs in front of South Africa.
Poor start for India in second innings
India’s second innings started very poorly. The team’s four wickets fell for 58 runs. After this, captain Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant took charge and took India past 150. The partnership of 94 runs for the fifth wicket between the two. Kohli was dismissed for 29 runs off 143 balls. After this Ashwin and Shardul Thakur could not do anything special. Ashwin returned to the pavilion after scoring seven runs and Shardul five.
Ngidi got Ashwin caught by Jensen. After this Ngidi got Shardul caught by Vereen. Umesh Yadav returned to the pavilion on zero. He was caught by Rabada at the hands of Vereen. After nine wickets fell, Pant did not give strike to Bumrah and mostly himself remained at the striker’s end and scored a century.