Former Indian pacer Zaheer Khan was impressed with the ability that wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant performed during his best knock of 50 (106 balls) on the 4th day of the Oval Test.
Speaking to CricBuzz, the left-arm seamer estimated that Pant can from time to time get absorbed into his role as a dasher. But, the 23-year-old assumed his defensive technique on the 4th day and formed his game based on the match situation. Khan said.
“The ability to adjust your game according to the match situation is a sign of a good player and that is what Rishabh Pant showed in this inning. It’s not like that Rishabh Pant can’t play this type of innings but sometimes he drifts away into his role of a dasher,”
Pant came under harsh criticism for his thoughtless stroke play in the first innings of the Oval Test. He came to the ridge in the 2nd innings when India lost 2-quick wickets in the form of Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane.
FIFTY!
A well made half-century by @RishabhPant17 off 105 deliveries. His first of the series.
Live – https://t.co/OOZebPnBZU #ENGvIND pic.twitter.com/4AixAV4r4H
— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2021
The game and the series were on the line and one thought that Pant’s wicket would open the floodgates for the English seamers. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old showed extraordinary maturity as he showed a lot of patience during his 106-ball stay at the crease.
‘Rishabh Pant also helped from Shardul Thakur’s behaviour at the other end Zaheer Khan
Rishabh Pant and Shardul Thakur scored a valuable 100 runs for the seventh wicket as the duo overcame the storm after India had lost 3-quick wickets in the morning session.
The pair exchanged in after their lunch break and performed their full range of strokes. Shardul Thakur remarkably once again looked in powerful touch during his stay at the crease.
Thakur smashed a 72-ball 60 – an innings that included seven 4 and one 6. Nevertheless, one thing that stood out from his knock was the patience that he performed.
The duo usually rotated the strike during their association in the middle. Khan considers the presence of Thakur at the other end would have also served Pant calm his nerves.
“When you get a good platform from the top-order, it is the responsibility of batsmen down the order to cash on it and Rishabh Pant played the role brilliantly today. He also benefited from the manner in which Shardul Thakur was batting at the other end as it helped him to rotate the strike regularly.”
The partnership was ultimately broken by Joe Root, who caused an outside edge off Shardul’s bat in the 137th over.
A brilliant 100-run partnership between @RishabhPant17 & @imShard.
Shardul's fine innings comes to an end on 60.
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— BCCI (@BCCI) September 5, 2021