- By Gurmeet Batra
- Sat, 01 Nov 2025 09:09 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
India A vs South Africa A: Swashbuckling batter Rishabh Pant's half-century, a blend of audacity and composure, played a key role in stabilising India A's innings, guiding them to 119 for four against South Africa A on the penultimate day of the four-day match.
India are still 166 runs afloat of their target of 275, following South Africa's second innings collapse to 199 from an overnight position of 30 without loss.
Pant (64 batting, 81 balls, 8x4, 2x6) and Ayush Badoni (0) were at the crease at stumps, and the former will have to play a vital role in getting India A closer to home on Sunday.
The wicketkeeper-batter joined Rajat Patidar (28) at the crease when the South African bowlers were bowling like wind, upsetting the batters with pace and bounce. At one stage, India were 32 for three, having lost Ayush Mhatre, Sai Sudharsan and Devdutt Padikkal.
Mhatre diced Tshepo Moreki onto his stumps, Sudharsan's 38-ball scrabble ended when he fell leg before to the same bowler, before Okuhle Cele saw a tiny opening between the bat and pads of Devdutt.
But Pant, who added 77 runs for a gritty fourth-wicket stand, kept India afloat, pulling Cele and then hauling off-spinner Prenelan Subrayen for a six over covers.
Soon, Pant brought up his fifty off 65 balls with a four through the covers off Subrayen, and he also obtained some treatments for possible cramps as the innings moved.
While South African bowlers were all hearts, their batters were in a more extravagant mood on the day, letting go of a chance to bat the hosts out of the match.
Starting from 30/0, the visitors lost six wickets in the first session itself to find themselves at 128 for six.
Off-spinner Tanush Kotian (4/26) and pacer Anshul Kamboj (3/39) were the inheritors of the unwarranted aggression of SA batters.