Sachin Tendulkar's Blunt "Majority Had Strike-Rate of 50 Or Less" Take As Rishabh Pant Wages Lone Battle

With the Indian top order once again failing to give the side a strong start, Rishabh Pant walked in on Day 2 of the final Test with his side reeling at 59/3 and went on to hit the fastest fifty by a visiting batter on Australian soil. Pant's contribution of 61 off 33 deliveries, laced with six fours and four sixes, was labelled as truly remarkable by India great Sachin Tendulkar. “On a wicket where majority of the batters have batted at a SR of 50 or less, @RishabhPant17's knock with a SR of 184 is truly remarkable. He has rattled Australia from ball one. It is always entertaining to watch him bat. What an impactful innings!” Tendulkar posted on X.

On a wicket where majority of the batters have batted at a SR of 50 or less, @RishabhPant17's knock with a SR of 184 is truly remarkable. He has rattled Australia from ball one. It is always entertaining to watch him bat. What an impactful innings!#AUSvIND pic.twitter.com/rU3L7OL1UX

Pant completed his fifty off 29 balls with the help of a six against Mitchell Starc. He bettered previous 33-ball efforts by England's John Brown (Melbourne 1895) and West Indies' Roy Fredericks (Perth 1975). It was also the second-fastest half-century by an Indian batter in a Test match.

The fastest half-century record by an Indian batter in a Test match also belongs to Pant which he attained in 28-ball against Sri Lanka in Bengaluru in 2022.

The wicketkeeper-batter's knock was finally put to an end by Australia captain Pat Cummins off an outside edge to Alex Carey behind the stumps. Pant slammed 61 off 33 balls studded with four sixes and six fours. He was also involved in a 46-run crucial partnership with Ravindra Jadeja to take India's total past three figures.

India ended the day at 141/6 and