This hasn’t been a tour to remember for Rishabh Pant. On his return to a land he has had in the palm of his hand since making a classy century six years back at the SCG, the wicketkeeper-batter has been competent behind the sticks, but underwhelming in front of it, not embracing the responsibility that comes with being a Test No. 5.

Pant is a force of nature, a compelling entity that has defied all predictions, thrown all convention out the window. Over the years, he has batted like only he can – with flair and irreverence, with little respect for reputation and pedigree, and with tremendous belief in his propensity to pull off the impossible. Who is to argue with any of those? He has stacked up a spectacular CV of bucking the odds, not least in his miraculous and double-quick recovery from the car accident of two years back that threatened more than just his cricketing career.