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On the third anniversary of India's historic Test win at Brisbane's Gabba against Australia in 2021, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant shared his thoughts and emotions about the monumental achievement. Recalling a conversation with Rohit Sharma, Pant revealed how it helped him grasp the significance of the team's triumph on that memorable day.
Pant reflected on his state of mind after scoring the winning runs in India's record-breaking chase of 328. Unlike his teammates, he wasn't overly excited initially. For Pant, the victory was more about personal redemption, especially after being excluded from the playing XI in the first Test of that remarkable series.
The victory at the Gabba was extraordinary, not just because it breached Australia's longstanding stronghold but also due to India's remarkable comeback after the infamous 36-all out debacle in the first Test at Adelaide. Under the stand-in captaincy of Ajinkya Rahane, India's comeback to win the series in Australia was nothing short of spectacular.
"I remember what Rohit Sharma said. A lot of people told me special things, but Rohit's words, I remember it well. He was seeing my reaction. Everybody was happy, but he was not seeing me as excited as everyone else," Pant told Star Sports.
"He told me 'I don't think you realise what you have done'. I told him 'yeah, we won a match, we won a series here for the 2nd time'.
"He told me 'when you quit cricket, you will understand the importance of this innings because you don't know what you have done'.
"Then I realised what I had done," he added.
Pant's journey in the series mirrored the team's resilience. Absent from the Adelaide Test, he was brought in as a replacement for Wriddhiman Saha in the second Test, marking a turning point in his and India's fortunes. His standout performances in the drawn Sydney Test and the victorious Gabba Test were pivotal.
The series was also marked by significant challenges for India, including the loss of key players to injuries. After Virat Kohli's departure post the first Test defeat, the team endured further setbacks. Mohammed Shami returned home with a broken finger after Adelaide. Key players Jasprit Bumrah, R Ashwin, and Hanuma Vihari, instrumental in the Sydney draw, were sidelined due to injuries for the final Test.
Remarkably, only Cheteshwar Pujara and Ajinkya Rahane played all four Tests of the series. Pant humorously remarked that had there been a fifth Test, India might have struggled to field an XI, given the injuries and absences in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
"I didn't know how to react. I was playing in the middle, I was conscious about not getting over-excited. Yes, there was a lot happiness around. It was a very important match for me because I was not playing ODI and T20I.
"Even in Tests, my place wasn't certain. I was like 'how can this happen?'. I have expectations from myself to do well, to win matchess for the team. But I didn't play the first match. It was like 'dream-come-true' to win the match for the team. I wanted that feeling.
"I was telling myself this. That was my mindset, I had belief in myself at a time when not many believed in me," Pant added.
The victory was historic in more ways than one. Prior to this achievement, no team had defeated Australia at the Gabba for 28 years. India's win there in 2021 not only broke this long-standing record but also showcased the team's incredible fighting spirit and ability to overcome adversity. This victory at Brisbane remains a defining moment in Indian cricket, highlighting the team's resilience and the emergence of new heroes like Rishabh Pant in crucial situations.
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