After playing a key role in India’s breathtaking and successful run chase in the series-deciding fourth Test against Australia, Rishabh Pant on Tuesday called the historic win as the “biggest moment” of his life.
“This is one of the biggest moments of my life now, and I’m happy that all the support staff and all my teammates supported me even when I wasn’t playing,” Pant said at the post-match presentation ceremony.
India did not play Pant in either the preceding ODI or the T20 series. But the young wicketkeeper-batsman made an impression in the Test series, playing a combative 97-run knock in the second innings in Sydney and again here on Tuesday.
“It’s been a dream series. The team management always backs me and tells me, you are a match-winner and you have to go win the match for the team. I keep thinking every day that I want to win matches for India, and I did it today,” Pant said.
India skipper Ajinkya Rahane initially struggled to find words but gathered himself to praise his courageous teammates.
“It means a lot to us. I don’t know how to describe this, but our boys showed a lot of character and determination after the Adelaide Test,” Rahane, who led India in the absence of Virat Kohli, said.
“I’m really proud of each individual.”
Australia captain Tim Paine graciously admitted that they were outplayed by the Indians.
“We were here to win the series, but we have just been outplayed by a disciplined and tough Indian side who fully deserve the series win. We have to look back over a lot of things, and we’ll go through it as a group.
“We have been outplayed by a better side this series,” he said.