Despite a finger injury on Day 1, Rishabh Pant showed grit with a valiant 74 at Lord’s. Battling pain and bodyline tactics, he brought up his 16th Test fifty, underlining his mental toughness and unwavering commitment to India's cause.
Team India vice-captain Rishabh Pant’s grit and resilience in the first innings of the ongoing third Test in the five-match series against England at Lord’s in London on Saturday, July 12.
Pant was sidelined for the first two days of the Lord’s Test after sustaining an injury on his fingertips in the second session of the opening day, when he took a blow while keeping to Jasprit Bumrah, who delivered an angling down leg delivery to Ollie Pope in the 33rd over of England’s first innings batting. The 27-year-old completed the remaining over before walking off the field.
When Rishabh Pant left the field, there was panic among Indian fans and spectators at Lord’s as the sight of the wicketkeeper-batter’s sneering in pain raised questions about the severity of his finger injury. Dhruv Jurel stepped in to keep the wickets, while the BCCI stated that Pant was under the observation of the medical team.
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Pant displays resilience through the pain
After Rishabh Pant missed the first two days of the Lord’s Test, there were concerns about whether he would be available to bat for the visitors. After England were bundled out for 387 on Day 2, it was confirmed that the southpaw would be available to bat in the first innings of the visitors’ batting.
After India were reduced to 107/3, Pant walked in to bat and joined KL Rahul at the crease to carry on with India’s innings. The vice-captain steadied the visitors’ ship by smashing three fours and an unbeaten 19 off 33 balls and stitched an unbeaten 38-run stand for the fourth wicket with KL Rahul before the close of Day 2’s play.
On Day 3. Rishabh Pant overcame an injury to his left index injury to complete his half-century, showcasing his immense grit and composure while battling with pain. The southpaw showed a sign of discomfort when England skipper Ben Stokes’ delivery hit his injured hand, and he received treatment on the field. However, Pant carried on with his batting rather than walking off the field.
Rishabh Pant brought up a half-century in his style by smashing a six off Ben Stokes. In the 62nd over, Pant managed to smash a six off Shoaib Bashir with ease, even with an injured finger, signalling his intent and refusing to let the setback affect his natural game. He was frustrated and disappointed for getting the right selection, or the England fielder attempted to stop his ball, denying him a well-deserved boundary.
Pant was looking in good rhythm and was en route to his third century of the ongoing Test series until his stay at the crease came to an unfortunate end with a run-out. After defending the ball to the offside, the vice-captain responded a little to KL Rahul’s response and the brilliance of Ben Stokes, with a direct throw from mid off, ended Pant’s valiant knock.
Though he was battling with a finger injury, he made a significant impact on India’s batting with his resilient and gritty 74 off 112 balls and stitched a crucial 131-run stand for the fourth wicket with KL Rahul.
Rishabh Pant challenged by England's bodyline tactics
England's pacers gave a tough time to Rishabh Pant by persistently targeting the corridor of uncertainty and peppering him with short deliveries, testing his reflexes and hand control. England were well aware of Pant’s stay at the crease would pose a serious threat, given his form and a solid defensive technqiue.
England were seemingly applying bodyline tactics to unsettle Pant's rhythm and exploit the vulnerability of his injured finger. But, there was no stopping Rishabh Pant as the southpaw continued to counterattack with a mix of caution and aggression rather than succumb to the pressure exerted by England's bowling attack.
England bowlers, especially pacers, were looking to relentlessly probe Pant’s technique and resilience by angling the ball into his leg stump, while mixing it up with short-pitched deliveries.
According to former India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar, England pacers were bowling short-pitched deliveries to dismiss Pant and set four fielders on the boundary line.
“Fifty-six percent of the balls bowled today have been short. They have four fielders on the boundary waiting for the bouncer. That is not cricket, according to me,” Gavaskar said during commentary.
However, southpaw was undeterred by pressure or pain and counterpunched with his typical flair and aggression, while not missing out on the chance of putting away loose deliveries. His resilient knock of 74 off 112 balls says a lot about his mental toughness and unwavering commitment to the team’s cause, even when he was physically compromised due to a finger injury.
Pant is in incredible form in the England Test series
Rishabh Pant’s 74 off 112 balls was his continuation of his incredible run of form in the ongoing Test series against England. The 27-year-old started the series with twin centuries in the Headingley Test, making him the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter and second after former Zimbabwe cricketer Andy Flower to score two centuries in a Test match.
In the Edgbaston Test, Pant was dismissed for 25 in the first innings, but bounced back with a boisterous knock of 65 off 58 balls in the second innings, helping India set a mammoth 608-run target for England to chase. Team India scripted a historic victory at Edgbaston with a 336-run win over England.
In five innings, Rishabh Pant has amassed 416 runs, including two centuries and as many fifties, at an average of 83.20.
