Former Indian cricketer and coach Ravi Shastri praised Rishabh Pant for his daring century during the second innings against England at Leeds. He pointed out that Pant has a sharp cricket mind that contributes to his batting style. Along with KL Rahul’s century, they secured a strong lead for India, putting them in a good spot for the final day.
Shastri noted how Rahul’s batting was steady and well-structured, while Pant brought the excitement with his aggressive play. He commented that Pant’s performance gives India a lot to think about, saying, There is plenty of food for thought. India will be pleased after Rahul’s technical brilliance and the energy from Pant.
Despite some saying that Pant’s approach is unpredictable, Shastri believes there’s a method to his madness, especially when it comes to knowing when to fight back. He also mentioned that Pant could have scored more centuries if he had turned his previous 90s into hundreds.
In the match, at Tea, India stood strong at 298/4, with Rahul on 120* and Karun Nair on 4*. Pant added 118 runs during his innings, partnering with KL Rahul for an important 195-run stand. They began the second session at 153/3, with Pant and Rahul both scoring centuries before Pant was out for 118 off 140 balls, which included 15 fours and three sixes.
Despite a tough start losing Shubman Gill early, India created a steady base to push forward. Rain cut short the final session of day three, with India at 90/2. England was 327/5 at their next session, with Harry Brook and Jamie Smith both contributing to the score. Brook narrowly missed his century, finishing with 99 runs. England ended their innings at 465, with Bumrah and Prasidh Krishna being the standout bowlers. In the earlier sessions, Ollie Pope also shined, scoring a solid 106 to help push England past 300.