Rishabh Pant (far left) celebrates victory with his teammates after day five of the 4th Test Match in the series between Australia and India at The Gabba on Tuesday.
Emerging as the new hot favourite wicket-keeper batsman of India, this series surely was a make or break one for Rishabh Pant. With his spot at stake in a competitive battle with Wriddhiman Saha, Pant just showed why India have finally find their apt MS Dhoni replacement as the 23-year-old southpaw took the lead role in India's historic win over Australia in GABBA in 32 years.
Pant, often blamed for throwing up his wicket on important ocassion, certainly came of his age to play a prudent match-winning knock of 89 in three-wicket win on Tuesday as India clinched the series 2-1.
Speaking after being rewarded as the Man of the Match, Pant said this was one of the biggest moments of his life.
"This is one of the biggest moments of my life now, and I'm happy that all the support staff and all my teammates supported me even when I wasn't playing," he said a the post-match presentation ceremony. "It's been a dream series."
He further said: "The team management always backs me and tells me, you are a matchwinner and you have to go win the match for the team. I keep thinking every day that I want to win matches for India, and I did it today. It was a fifth-day pitch and the ball was turning a bit. I thought I have to be disciplined with my shot selection."
