Extra Cover: stump mics unearth cult hero, JL’s headache, young gun’s return
Despite Indian keeper Rishabh Pant’s relentless vocal work behind the stumps it was Australia captain Tim Paine had the last word with his curt response to the on-field sledging.
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Enigmatic Indian keeper Rishabh Pant could quickly become a summer cult hero on the back of not just his swashbuckling batting, but his vocal work behind the stumps.
New broadcasters Fox Cricket pledged innovation when they took over the rights, and used day five for an on-field experiment.
The commentators went quiet for five minutes during the opening session, taking all the noise direct from the stumps mikes for a full over from part-time Indian spinner Murali Vijay.
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For six balls, Pant yapped away incessantly, even declaring Vijay had made a “good start” after opening his over with a rank full toss.
But it was during the 76th over, with Pat Cummins facing Ravi Ashwin and the Aussies a long way from home, that Pant really delivered for them.
“C’mon Patty, not easy to play here man,” Pant said, baiting the Aussie quick.
“C’mon it’s not easy to survive,” he said after Cummins prodded a ball away.
“Not putting away bad balls here,” Pant said after Cummins left one.
And on it went, without Cummins saying a word, before the giggling commentators took over again.
After India secured victory however, Australia captain Tim Paine had the last word with his curt response to the on-field sledging.
“We didn’t pay any attention to them and we won’t the whole series,” he said.
“I thought today was a nice snap shot of how we want to go about it.
“We fought hard and we never gave in we don’t have to talk rubbish and carry on like a pork chop.”
Well played skipper.
PANT LETS GLOVES DO TALKING AS WELL
Pant has made a massive impact in his first ever Test in Australia, not only because of his vocal activity behind the stumps.
The keeper entered the series with a scary reputation for his ability to move the game forward with the bat, having scored his first runs in Test cricket via a six in England earlier this year.
He took on Nathan Lyon in the second innings too, taking 18 off four consecutive balls, including three fours and a six, in a 15-ball 28.
But his main role is with the gloves, and he was pretty good. Pant’s 11 catches created a new Indian record for most in a match for his country.
He also equalled England’s Jack Russell and South African megastar AB de Villiers for most wicketkeeping dismissals in a Test.
Pant could have broken the record, but dropped Nathan Lyon with a diving attempt to his right off Jasprit Bumrah.
DON’T JINX INDIA STAR
There were isolated moments of sledging in the First Test but Australia would do well not to rile India’s middle order star Ajiynka Rahane.
Nicknamed Jinx by his former IPL clubmate Shane Warne, Rahane is a black belt in judo.
BORDER’S LANGER HEADACHE
Allan Border vividly remembers throwing down a cricket ball in disgust-anger-frustration in the Adelaide Oval dressing room when Craig McDermott feathered a ball behind for a two run Test loss against the West Indies in 1992-93.
But he did not know what happened to it until Justin Langer fessed up recently and said it rebounded and hit him squarely in the head.
“I wonder whether that was the start of his concussion problems - it’s all my fault,’’ Border said.
YOUNG GUN SET FOR RETURN?
India’s injured opening batsman Prithvi Shaw stepped up what still seems an unlikely bid to return to action in the second Test against Australia in Perth.
Shaw, who suffered an ankle injury while fielding in India’s tour game on November 29, resumed running just before the start of play on day five of the first Test.
Still wearing a brace on his left ankle, the 19-year-old jogged around Adelaide Oval as his teammates prepared their push for victory.
The Indian camp still rate Shaw an unlikely starter in the second Test with a return in the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne more likely.
India’s openers, Murali Vijay and KL Rahul, put on opening partnerships of three and 63 in Adelaide.
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