More »
It was an IPL game. Virat Kohli was at mid-on. Rishabh Pant was on. The ball was onwards, on some soaring flightpath that made little kids look upwards in awe on Republic Day. Virat Kohli was a little kid. In his expression were many worlds, there was awe, but there was way more HAAAW, yeh kya kar diya isne…a khicidi of unspoken expletives followed. It was scrambled that expression.
In Kohli’s expression, was Rishabh Pant, an unveiled threat. How can he do that, what did he just do, how did he do that, and so many more unanswered questions. Usually, Kohli writes those questions on fielder’s faces.
Since that day, no expression on Kohli’s face has matched that. That was the expression of a man playing against Rishabh Pant. Pant was an adversary – and when adversaries are feared, is when you ascertain the value of a player.
Admire, like, love a player, all pale in comparison to fear. Having Rishabh Pant in your team may never allow you to know his worth as a player. Playing against him, now you’re talking.
The warm-up match in Australia was a prelude to what lay ahead. Balls hit by Pant soared, instead of Kohli, fear hit the Aussies. But it was a warm up match, not enough for Kohli to warm up to Pant.
Pant excused himself from Adelaide, sashaying into Melbourne, unblemished.
Who knew Pant could play for a draw. He wasn’t. He drew first blood, the Aussies withdrew. His right hand came off his bat, his shoe however, never came off their throats. It possibly was an innings that inspired Ashwin to embrace the joys and horrors of batting again. It made an unable Vihari able. Ashwin and Vihari drew the game.
What happened in Brisbane stays in Vegas. Was it a lottery? Pokerfaced Pant crept up on the Aussies again. Along with him, pokerfaced Pujara. They forced Australia to play blind. Some 100 runs still to go, Pujara fell. Followed by Mayank.
But the fear of Pant remained. It found company in Sundar, fresh fear at that. When that fear left, followed by Thakur, Pant still remained. Unbeaten.
The days passed, the English replaced the Aussies.
That look on their faces though, was very much Virat Kohli at mid-on.
