BGT | Twitter in splits as Langer admits to moving past trauma to make 'mates' with LSG skip Pant

India dominated the majority of the first session of the pink-ball Test at Adelaide despite a first ball duck for Yashasvi Jaiswal but a late meltdown saw the visitors collapse from 69/1 to 82/4 at Dinner. Mitchell Starc instigated the change in momentum by getting rid of KL Rahul for a well-made 37 and then having Virat Kohli caught in the slip corden nine deliveries later to bring Rishabh Pant out in the middle. However, the brash young batter wasted no time in making an imprint on the game as he effortlessly flicked his second ball off the left-arm quick for four through the square leg region, and it was enough to dig up some horrific memories for Justin Langer who was on the mics.

The former Australian coach was in charge the last two times the Men in Blue toured Down Under and had the misfortune of being the first man to lose back-to-back home series against the subcontinental outfit. Pant played an integral part in both campaigns, scoring 350 runs at 58.33 in 2018/19 followed by 274 runs at 68.50 in 2020/21, including an unbeaten 89 during India's historic chase of 327 at fortress Gabba. However, the duo's relationship endured an unexpected twist of fate when Justin Langer was appointed as head coach of Lucknow Super Giants in 2024 and the team ended up making Pant the most expensive player in tournament history at iNR 27 crores, at the mega auction in Jeddah in November.

Langer was quick to admit how the batter has haunted him the past but they have turned a chapter to forge a dynamic alliance.

"Now I am gonna come straight out with, for the last two series this man has haunted me, Rishabh Pant. Now a week ago, I hope he's my favourite person in the world with Lucknow Super Giants picking him up. We got him and now he's my mate, not my nemesis," he said on the comms.

"But don't you just love watching him bat! We talk about the pressure... he has walked in, there's 10 minutes to go for Lunch, India have lost two quick wickets. He is feeling around and then he smacks it off his legs behind backward square-leg for four. There is always something happening when this man is at the crease," Langer added, much to Twitterati's delight.

Pant still haunts Langer

Crazy

Panic attack

Nice

Sad

Tellin you all

Good

Man is here

No other player

Still haunts**