While India’s ace batsmen Kohli, Pujara and Rahane were crumbling before the English bowling attack, Rishabh Pant came out and scored a flamboyant hundred, which not only gave hosts the confidence, but also snatched reins from the visitors.
Initially avoiding playing attacking shots, Rishabh Pant understood the importance of his wicket very well and bided his time and once he started scoring runs, he did not look back. This inning was a brilliant spectacle of aggression and patience.
The England captain took a new ball after 80 overs but energized Pant kept toppling the opposition with class— a reverse sweep against legendary Anderson is an apt example where Pant triumphed with wit and ease. When Anderson made his debut in international cricket, Pant was only five years old.
Rishabh Pant, whose timely ton helped the hosts to cross the 200 run mark, has scored more than 500 runs in this calendar year. Pant today proved that a player who believes in his own shots, showing aggression with his bat when needed, can do wonders for the team. Pant showed the way for Team India, and they are on the road to win the series 3–1. Even the 50-runs lead would have been sufficient on this pitch, but I think India can take this lead to around 125.
Washington Sundar also batted well. If England wants to come back, one of their batsmen has to make at least a century and the rest of the batsmen will also have to bat well. If this does not happen, Team India might win the match by the evening of the third day.
Nevertheless, the decisions of the England team management have been strange. In this match, not including one fast bowler has proved costly on the visitors. On this wicket, Virat Kohli is losing his wicket on rising ball and Rohit on a moving ball, and it is beyond understanding why England did not to play a fast bowler in the team. If the fast bowler had been included, England could likely have been in a good position in this match.
The author has played 49 Tests & 94 ODIs as a wicketkeeper-batsman for Team India.