WATCH: Rishabh Pant responds BRILLIANTLY to Nathan Lyon’s IPL 2025 dig in viral stump mic moment

New Delhi: Banter and sledging are an integral part of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, with both India and Australia boasting players who enjoy engaging in verbal exchanges to unsettle the opposition. The first Test in Perth, which kicked off on Friday morning, followed suit, as Nathan Lyon was spotted sharing a friendly chat with Indian wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant in the middle.

As Rishabh Pant made his way to the crease, he was spotted exchanging a fist-bump with Mitchell Marsh. Both players have previously played together for the Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

However, the standout moment on Day 1 occurred when off-spinner Nathan Lyon approached Rishabh Pant for a friendly chat about the upcoming IPL auction, set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on November 24 and 25.

IPL AUCTION TALK IN BGT

Nathan Lyon – “Where are you going in the IPL auction”?

Rishabh Pant – “No Idea”. pic.twitter.com/qbpQ2movED

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 22, 2024

After the conclusion of an over, Nathan Lyon walked up to Rishabh Pant and casually asked about his plans for the upcoming auction. It’s worth noting that Pant was not retained by Delhi Capitals, and he is set to enter the bidding war on Sunday.

To this question, Pant responded by saying, “No idea.”

Pant has entered the IPL mega auction with a base price set at INR 2 crore and is listed in Marquee Set 1.

India’s stand-in captain, Jasprit Bumrah, won the toss and chose to bat against Australia at Optus Stadium in Perth. However, the Indian batters failed to capitalize on the opportunity, as the top order collapsed swiftly.

Yashasvi Jaiswal and Devdutt Padikkal were dismissed for ducks, while Virat Kohli was sent back after scoring just 5 runs. KL Rahul, who had looked solid, was dismissed for 26 following a controversial decision by third umpire Richard Illingworth.

Dhruv Jurel and Washington Sundar also failed to make a significant impact, departing early. Rishabh Pant, who had looked solid at the crease, was dismissed by Australia captain Pat Cummins for 37, ending his promising innings.

India have given debuts to all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy and pacer Nitish Rana, while Australia have introduced one debutant, Nathan McSweeney, to their lineup.