Rishabh Pant's 97 draws Virender Sehwag comparisons on Twitter, rattles Australia: WATCH

After the Australian team posted an enormous total of 407 for the Indian team in the ongoing India vs Australia 3rd Test at Sydney, it became imperative for the visitors to come up with a spirited performance with the bat. With the home team's fiery bowling attack up against the injury-marred visitors, the Ajinkya Rahane-led side had their back to the walls after losing an early wicket on Day 5. Rishabh Pant walked in to bat after Rahane's dismissal and shifted the momentum in India's favour with a valorous knock. 

India vs Australia 3rd Test: Pant shows resolute with Virender Sehwag-esque performance

Chasing the imposing total was always going to be an uphill task for the Indian team. The side got off to a promising start after openers Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill battled out the opening burst of the Australian pace bowlers with a resolute partnership of 71. Rishabh Pant, who suffered an elbow injury in the first innings of the match, was promoted up the order and he came into bat ahead of Test specialist Hanuma Vihari. 

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Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara orchestrated a stellar 148-run partnership and put pressure on the home side with their spectacular batting. The wicketkeeper-batsman played phenomenally and adopted the counter-attacking strategy to gain an edge over the formidable bowling attack. The player was scoring runs at a frantic pace and scored a blistering 97 off just 118 deliveries. 

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While red-ball cricket is the ultimate test of a cricketer's temperament, the 23-year-old successfully showcased how scoring runs briskly even in the longer format can have a significant impact on the opposition's mindset. The southpaw was given a reprieve by Tim Paine on two occasions, and he made the most of the opportunity. Australia finally earned a breakthrough after toiling hard as Rishabh Pant was undone by Nathan Lyon. The youngster's aggressive approach also drew comparisons with former Indian batting star Virender Sehwag. 

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Opening batsman Virender Sehwag's success in red-ball cricket can be credited to his fearless approach at the top of the order. Similarly, Rishabh Pant also is hailed for his striking abilities. The wicketkeeper was under the radar for his glovework in the match. However, he proved his mettle with the bat on yet another occasion and shifted the momentum in his team's favour with a gutsy knock. 

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Rishabh Pant 97: The 23-year-old defies injury to make a significant impact  

Image source: ICC Twitter