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On this day, January 4,2019: Rishabh Pant became the first Indian wicket-keeper to score century in Australia. Pant, who is touring Australia for the first time with the senior squad, scored a boundary off Marnus Labuschagne to reached the hundred in in 137 deliveries. His innings ended with a brilliant score of 159 off 189 balls. Rishabh Pant became India’s only wicketkeeper batsman to secure two centuries outside Asia. At the age of eighteen, former Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar scored two centuries at SCG, at age of 21, Rishabh Pant became the second youngest Indian cricketer to bag a century on Australian soil.
His centurion knock on Day Two of the ongoing fourth Test against Australia also made him the first Indian wicket-keeper to score two centuries at the age of 21 or before. The left-hand batter had scored a record ton against England as well when he became the first Indian keeper to score a Test century against them in 2018. The previous best score was from Farukh Engineer who scored 89 back in 1967 at the Adelaide Oval .MS Dhoni’s highest score in Australia is an unbeaten 57, which he got at the Sydney Cricket Ground in 2012.
This was also Pant’s second Test century and he became the 10 visiting wicket-keeper to score a century in Australia. He is only the 2nd Indian after Dattu Phadkar to score a century at number 7 position in Australia. Rishabh Pant’s knock of 159 included 15 fours and a six and he displayed some excellent stroke play entertaining the crowd during this knock.
India were batting first in the Sydney Test and scored a massive 622 runs on the back of 193 from Pujara and an unbeaten 159 from Rishabh Pant. Mayank Agarwal and Jadeja also scored half centuries as India declared after being 7 down.
In reply, Australia were bowled out for just 300 in their first innings and were asked to follow on. In the second innings they could just play four overs before continuous rain interruption ensured that the match ended in a draw. India won the series 2-1 and this was a memorable series for Rishabh Pant and all the Indian players.
