N ANANTHANARAYANAN
LONDON: KL Rahul had been searching to regain lost momentum, while young Rishabh Pant realised playing his way would serve his career. Together, they lit up the last day of India’s disappointing Test series against England at the Oval on Tuesday.
It finished perfectly for England as James Anderson bowled Mohammed Shami to seal a 118-run win and become the most successful Test pacer, surpassing Glenn Mcgrath’s tally of 563, in a perfect farewell to Alastair Cook. The hosts won the series 4-1 when the match ended under floodlights.
But India didn’t throw in the towel. Rahul and Pant made skipper Joe Root sweat as they launched a sensational counterattack. The innings – Rahul’s fifth Test century and fourth away and Pant’s audacious maiden century for a first by an Indian wicketkeeper in England – initially looked separate from the match. But soon it galvanized the fans. It was important India showed resilience and the two batsmen lifted a gloom in the dressing room after the Cook and Root show on Day 4.
Rahul (149 — 224b, 20x4, 1x6) and Pant (114 — 146b, 15x4, 4x6) thrilled the Oval crowd. They attacked Ben Stokes’ short balls, bowled with hope that one mistake would help run through the rest. But their 204-run sixth wicket partnership, from before lunch to after tea on the last day at one point even raised hopes of the impossible.
Pant played a robust innings, hammering leg-spinner Adil Rashid, and Rahul was steady as they were going at around five runs an over. It left things balanced at tea — India needing 166 runs at around 4.5 per over and England undecided whether to take the new ball with two set batsmen playing.
Rashid’s ripper from outside leg hitting off-stump to end Rahul’s stay, ended that dilemma. Two overs later Pant, till then sensational and given licence to play his style, failed to clear Moeen Ali at long off as Rashid had his revenge. That eased the tension on skipper Root’s face. Once Pant fell, England wrapped up the innings quickly with the second new ball. But for India, it was about a fresh start in the series demise.
The 26-year-old Rahul hit his first century since his 199 against England in Chennai in December, 2016. His career had taken a dip since his shoulder surgery after the 2017 home series win over Australia, where he was one of India’s most influential batsmen.
On Tuesday, Rahul’s best was a flat six over cover, and a four past mid-off to get to his century. Pant got it Virender Sehwag style, lofting Rashid for two sixes, which brought the crowd to its feet. From three down for two, and 121/5, to dragging it into an equal contest, it would feel nice despite the 1-4 series loss.