PANTEMONIUM
Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh smashes third Test ton to put India in control
AHMEDABAD: Rishabh Pant changed his game plan and in turn India’s fortunes with a magnificent century, helping the host snatch control from England to finish the second day at a robust 294 for seven in the final Test here.
England dominated the first two sessions and India looked in all sorts of trouble before Pant (101 off 118 balls) suddenly decided to catch the opposition by the scruff of its neck, effortlessly changing gears in the company of Washington Sundar (60 batting off 117 balls).
The duo added 113 runs in 26 overs, securing India a first innings lead of 89 runs with three wickets in hand. At stumps, Washington, who has so far hit eight boundaries, was at the crease with Axar Patel (11 batting off 34 balls). Pant defended when necessary, but unlocked his brutal attacking instincts when required.
The southpaw’s fifty came off 82 balls and the next off 33 balls, with Washington being the ideal foil. The Chennai-based youngster held one end en route to his third half-century in Tests. England paid the price for playing a bowler short as its main four got tired during the final session at the Motera Stadium on Friday.
Pant smashed leg-spinner Dom Bess into the ‘cow corner’ of the stands against the turn to complete his third Test hundred, his first at home. When he finally got out, Joe Root’s frustrated expression was a giveaway that the match was out of hand for England, which conceded as many as 141 runs in a single session.
Pant hit 13 fours and two sixes during an innings that is likely to earn him the man of the match award. Ben Stokes (2 for 73) troubled the Indians with reared up deliveries, with one of those getting skipper Virat Kohli (0).
But there was no trouble for Pant, who gleefully pulled the England all-rounder. The audacity with which he came down the track against Anderson (3 for 40), hitting him over extra cover for a boundary, could have taken anyone’s breath away.
Pant changed the pace of his innings subtly that even Root didn’t know what hit the tourist, which looked in control when India went into Tea at 153 for six. Pant was then batting on 36, defending the deliveries that would turn and jump off the rough while playing Anderson and Stokes judiciously.
England till then had maintained the shine of the ball well, but Pant took charge post Tea. With Washington looking solid at the other end, Root asked left-arm spinner Jack Leach (2 for 66) to come around the wicket and the idea played into Pant’s hands.
It was one fascinating day of Test cricket where flamboyant players like Rohit Sharma (49 off 144 balls) and Pant traded their natural attacking instincts for a more conservative approach. In the first session, Cheteshwar Pujara (17 off 66 balls) and Kohli’s dismissals brought England back in the game.
Ajinkya Rahane (27 off 45 balls) hit a flurry of boundaries, but Anderson had him caught at second slip with a beautiful delivery at the stroke of lunch.
Brief scores: England (1st innings) 205 all-out in 75.5 overs; India (1st innings) 294 for 7 in 94 overs (R Pant 101, Washington 60*, Rohit 49, J Anderson 3/40)