 "Langer makes U-turn, says Pant's Gabba heroics came on 'flattest' pitch: 'We have lost that advantage'")
Rishabh Pant’s Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) coach Justin Langer has provided a fresh take on the Indian wicketkeeper-batter’s historic knock that helped India beat Australia for the first time at the Gabba. While discussing the “amazing” knock that helped India break the hoodoo of Gabba, Langer reminded his fellow panellists that the Brisbane ground had the “flattest” pitch during Pant’s match-winning knock.
Pant scored a heroic 89 not out in the fourth innings as India defeated Australia by three wickets in the absence of Virat Kohli, winning the series 2-1 Down Under. Langer was Australia’s head coach at that time.
Discussing Pant’s match-winning knock after the Gabba defeat in 2021, Langer had compared the innings with Ben Stokes’ memorable hundred at Headingley in 2019 against Australia.
“It was an amazing effort. (Rishabh) Pant’s innings somewhat reminded me of Ben Stokes’ innings in Headingley actually. He came in, he was almost fearless and he will be lauded because of it. It was an unbelievable innings,” Langer said after the match.
Langer says Pant’s Gabba heroics came on flattest pitch
However, Langer has now added a fresh perspective to the match-winning effort by Pant while appearing with Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad on the For the Love of Cricket podcast. He said that while Pant’s 89 were “incredible,” it came on a flat track in January when Gabba wasn’t a “cauldron” anymore for the home team.
“Brisbane was always a cauldron for us and has been for years,” Langer said. “We lost to India a couple of Test series ago. Rishabh Pant played an incredible innings at the Gabba. But it was also the fourth Test during Covid and it was the flattest wicket. That time of year in January was different from playing in November. We have lost that advantage.”
It will be interesting to see what Pant’s reaction would be to his IPL coach’s comments.
Interestingly, there’s also news that LSG may part ways with either Langer or mentor Zaheer Khan before IPL 2026.
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