Rishabh Pant was run-out after a mix-up with Virat Kohli |Courtesy - screengrab (Jio Cinema)
Chasing a huge total of 359 in the Pune Test, Rishabh Pant was key to India's hopes with his track record of success in fourth innings chases as well as his ability to switch the momentum of the game with his aggressive style of batting, but he was dismissed for a duck on Saturday (October 26) after being run-out following a mix-up with Virat Kohli, which put India on the cusp of defeat.
The incident took place in the 23rd over when Kohli tapped a delivery from Ajaz Patel towards backpoint. The duo decided to take a quick single, but the move proved costly for India as Pant was unable to reach the crease in time despite making a full-length dive following a near-perfect throw from Mitchell Santner, with wicketkeeper Tom Blundell making no mistakes.
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Virat Kohli Or Rishabh Pant, Who Is Responsible?
There is no doubting that Pant's run-out was a match-turning moment, as at the time of the incident, India had a realistic shot at victory as they needed 222 runs more with seven wickets in hand. The dismissal has become the biggest talking point in the backdrop of India's discussion.
Was Kohli responsible for the dismissal? A closer look at the replays shows that after hitting the ball, the former India captain looked at Pant before taking off, and only after seeing him take off for the run decided to go for the single. However, Kohli did start running immediately after hitting the delivery and only looked at Pant after taking a couple of steps.
However, Pant, as the non-striker, was responsible for taking the call as the ball was behind Kohli. The 27-year-old was evidently confident about completing the single and was caught surprised by Santner's brilliance and did not take into account his strong throwing arm.
Ultimately, Pant has only himself to blame for his early dismissal, with the call clearly being his.
India were bowled out for 245 with Kohli's struggles with the bat continuing as he was dismissed after making just 17 runs. India lost the match by 113 runs, which has resulted in them losing a Test series on home soil for the first time.
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