Former India wicketkeeper Deep Dasgupta on Friday lauded the batting performance of current stumper Rishabh Pant who smashed his 3rd hundred in the ongoing fourth and final Test against England in Ahmedabad.
Pant’s century left England in shock while Indian cricket fans were thoroughly entertained as he scored 101 off 118 balls, hitting some of his trademark shots during his potential match-winning knock.
India were struggling at 80 for 4 when Pant walked in and completely changed the game in a matter of 2 sessions.
Praising the young 23-year-old Delhi batsman, Dasgupta said player like Pant are special and he once again showed his true potential at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
“It was another example of how special Rishabh Pant is, that hundred of his was absolutely phenomenal. He started off rather watchfully giving respect to the bowlers. But once he had his eyes set, then he was phenomenal. What audacity, I mean the very first ball with the second new ball, Jimmy Anderson with 620-odd wickets in Test match cricket bowling with the new ball and has bowled well, what does he (Pant) do, he steps out and hits him over mid-off the very first ball.
“And then obviously that reverse-sweep or a reverse-paddle that he played off Anderson, audacious, I mean, but that’s the kind of talent that he possesses and I am so glad that it is not just talent, that we are talking about now, we are talking about his performance. So that talent, that potential, he has been able to convert it into performances,” Dasgupta told Sports Today.
England had India on the ropes in the first session before Pant teamed up with Washington Sundar to tilt the match in India’s favour by the end of the day’s play.
The duo shared a 113-run stand for the 7th wicket to put India in the driver’s seat. The hosts reached stumps at 294 for 7 with a first-innings lead of 294 runs over the visitors.
Sundar was batting on 60 at the end of play while Axar Patel was on 11 with India 89 ahead after being 121-5 at one stage.
“Not just that, one of the biggest criticism of Pant was his shot selection, him getting out rather softly, playing bad shots and all, but you know now in the last couple of series at least that has improved.
“His shot selection has improved drastically, he is making the right calls, he is taking the right decisions, which bowler to take on when, the angles, for example, when the off-spinner was bowling over the wicket, he did not step out, but as soon as the off-spinner came around the wicket, he started stepping out. This was another great example of the talent that Rishabh Pant possess,” Dasgupta added.
