Bengaluru, Nov. 1 -- Chasing 275 against South Africa A in the autumn sun of Bengaluru, India A ended Day 3 on 119 for 4 - still 156 runs adrift, but not defeated, because Rishabh Pant was still standing at the Centre of Excellence Ground 1 here today.
And standing is the right word, for he could barely run. Cramps gripped his legs, sweat trickled down his face, but his eyes - those defiant Delhi eyes - were alive with mischief and stubbornness.
Pant's unbeaten 64 was no ordinary innings. It was half resistance, half theatre - the sort of batting that makes coaches frown and spectators fall in love. He pulled when he should've defended, smiled when he should've grimaced, and took his own sweet time calling for treatment as the South Afric...