Rishabh Pant found himself agonizingly close yet so far from completing a well-earned century against the Kiwis in the ongoing Test. The wicketkeeper-batsman was dismissed for 99 as the visitors denied him the joy of converting his hard work at the crease into three figures.
While the dismissal would have stung, it has placed Pant into enviable company as one of India’s best when it comes to accumulating high scores that narrowly miss out on centuries. With 7 dismissals in the 90s, the young southpaw has earned a spot amongst the top Indian batsmen who have fallen thrice shy of landmarks more often than not.
Leading the way is the iconic Sachin Tendulkar, who despite his legendary status and record-breaking achievements, was left stranded in the 90s on 10 occasions. Widely regarded as one of the finest Test batsmen of all time, even the mastery of Tendulkar could not save him every time from the agony of missing out on a ton.
Next on the list is Rahul Dravid, the erstwhile Wall of Indian cricket who accumulated over 10,000 runs in both Tests and ODIs with near robotic consistency. Known more for his concentration than flashiness, Dravid’s castle was breached on 9 times when he had centuries in sight.
Now with 7 scores in the nervy 90s region, Pant is slowly bridging the gap with formats stalwarts. Consider his average is still under 30 despite his flamboyant batting, the scope for many more high notes is formidable. If he maintains composure and kickstarts converting those 90s, we might have a new leader in this aspect before it’s all said and done.
For the Dream11 IPL side looking to pick him, Pant’s propensity for big scores near the three-figure mark makes him an asset. However, it is those missing final steps that he would desperate look to address. There is no better motivation than legacies of Tendulkar and Dravid egging him to go the full distance.
