Watch: India wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant ‘did an MS Dhoni’ during the first day of the Boxing Day Test against Australia, when he was caught on the stump mic predicting how Matthew Wade would be dismissed.

India had a solid day of Test cricket in Melbourne, bowling out Australia for 195 before debutant Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara saw them through to 36-1 by stumps. With both debutants, Mohammed Siraj the other, shining and R Ashwin and Jasprit Bumrah getting among the wickets, there were plenty of highlights for India.

For some, however, the highlight was Pant, recalled at the expense of Wriddhiman Saha for the MCG Test. Just before Wade was dismissed by Ashwin, Pant could be heard on the stump mic, asking Ashwin to stick to the inside line. “Andar hi rakhna, ye maarega (keep it inside, he’ll hit it)”, Pant said.

The very next delivery, Wade attempted to step out and take Ashwin on, heaving one across the line. The dip and turn generated by Ashwin meant Wade mistimed it, and the catch was taken by Ravindra Jadeja, despite a near-collision with Gill just as he was taking the catch.

It was a fine bit of game reading from Pant, but fans of the game were quick to note how there was no fanfare about it, and contrasted it with times Dhoni, the former India captain, was lauded for doing just that from behind the stumps.

https://twitter.com/adityakumar480/status/1342728563699511297

Watch below for when Pant ‘did a Dhoni’ and predicted exactly how Wade would get dimissed.

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AustraliaIndia Matthew WadeMs DhoniRishabh PantAustralia v IndiaSeries Editorial