IND vs NZ: Sarfaraz Khan-Rishabh Pant provide much needed silver lining amid India's bleak outing

Call it an exhibition or a demolition, two India batters of different styles, gave it right and left to New Zealand on Day 4 of the first Test against New Zealand at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Saturday.

Watching right-handed Sarfaraz Khan and southpaw Rishabh Pant shred the Kiwi attack, pace and spin, was a sheer joy to watch. First things first, Sarfaraz the Mumbaikar who has been waiting in the wings. Since the time he made his debut against England earlier this year, he has not got too many chances. Even now, he was lucky, Shubman Gill had a stiff neck and Sarfaraz got his chance. The 150 runs he scored were gilt-edged and showed that what happened in the first innings, when India folded up for 46, was one of those rare instances.

Very recently, Sarfaraz Khan scored a double hundred in the Irani Trophy. Such a rich vein of form was a delight to watch as Mumbai, with Ajinkya Rahane as captain grabbed the Cup. But this was different for Sarfaraz, a Test match where he had failed in the first innings. To seize the opportunity, use the cut with gusto and plenty of wristwork for piling on runs was a sign he is playing fearless cricket.

There was no hesitancy at all from Sarfaraz, who knows the chance he has got is sheer luck. But this one knock has been defining in many ways. It captures his mindset and talent and how he can give expression with the bat in his hand. To stay at the crease for a long duration is not an issue at all. And once Rishabh Pant came in, this was a typical Saturday treat to watch.

Everyone knows about Sarfaraz, his 439 runs in the Harris Shield in Mumbai 15 years ago. Now almost 28, he has been waiting in the wings. A decade in domestic cricket and then to get chance, Sarfaraz has been waiting. But that's how it is in Indian cricket, with regulars taking up the top slots. Gill's stiff neck was a rare thing, so for Sarfaraz to pump himself up and bat with freedom was giving expression to something he has been doing since childhood.

Under his father Naushad, Sarfaraz has been a Mumbai product where batting is an art as well as a science. His talent was never in doubt but to grab the chance under pressure has been defining.

At the same time, how does one rule out the Pant effect. Two days ago, when he took a hit on the knee, there was panic. Pant being Pant, he was ready to take his chances and come up with one of the most belligerent knocks once again in Test cricket. At one point of time, it appeared, both the batters were goading each other. Pant did surge ahead in strike rate, but it was sad to see him go for 99 runs. The ton was in the offing but to miss it by one run was cruel for fans.

For all those who wonder what will be the shape of Indian cricket in the future, Sarfaraz can be the answer in many ways. He is not lean and trim but if a heavy build in cricket is viewed as negative, that's untrue. At least, when Sarfaraz batted these two days, he has shown he is not only heavy but a heavy-duty batter. Can he cement his place in the side? Time will tell. He has given the selectors plenty to watch and judge. He has also given captain Rohit Sharma and coach Gautam Gambhir a peep into his skill set and runs. He scored runs when India were in ruins.

If one has to judge just these two batters, right and left, they punched hard - Sarfaraz and Rishabh Pant. Oh, please, no Bazball comment please. See what happened to England against Pakistan in the second Test!