With a lead of 154 runs and all recognised
batsmen back in the pavilion, India’s hopes of posting a competitive total to
try and wrest a result on the final day of the second Test at the Lord’s on Monday
lie on wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s shoulders.

Gritty knocks from Cheteshwar Pujara (45)
and Ajinkya Rahane (61) helped India get to 181 for the loss of six wickets on
Day 4, after Mark Wood (3/40) tore through the top-order to leave India 55/3 at one stage. Skipper Virat Kohli fell to Sam Curran before Moeen Ali got rid
of Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja to leave India in a perilous position.

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Pant, who has Ishant Shamra and the rest of
the tail-enders for company, will have to shoulder much of the responsibility
to score runs, at a quick pace, if India are to avoid falling 1-0 behind in the
five-match series.

Thankfully, the 23-year-old has been in
this position before, with his fearless and aggressive batting leading the Men
in Blue out of impossible positions to script historic wins.

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Here are three such occasions, when Pant’s
final-day heroics saved India, or at least helped reduce the deficit, in Tests:

vs England (5th Test, The Oval, London, September 2018)

Chasing a target of 464 runs, India were
reeling at 121/5 with Pujara and Kohli having recorded ducks. However, Pant
came on and stitched a 204-run partnership with opener KL Rahul (149) for the
sixth wicket to give India a glimmer of hope for an improbable comeback.

The two batsmen could not see out a win,
though, falling in quick succession as India lost the match by 118 runs.

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vs Australia (4th Test, The Gabba, Brisbane, January 2021)

Pant’s heroic innings sealed what was one of the most famous overseas Test series wins for India. Chasing a target of 328 runs, India started well with Pujara and Shubman Gill stitching a 114-run stand for the second wicket. 

But the hosts rallied back and India lost three more wickets and were still 100 runs shy of the target. India looked dead and buried, before Pant smashed 89 runs from 138 deliveries, scoring the winning runs himself with a boundary off Hazlewood, to lead India to an improbable win.   

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vs England (4th Test, Narendra Modi Stadium, March 2021)

India needed a win to seal their berth in the inaugural World Test Championship final against New Zealand. After bundling the visitors out for 205 runs in the first innings, India were 146/6 before Pant scored his third Test ton, scoring 101 from 135 deliveries to help the hosts reach 365. 

England were bowled out for 135 in the second innings as India won the match by an innings and 25 runs.