IND vs ENG 3rd Test – Rishabh Pant: Day 1 of 3rd Test at Leeds against Joe Root’s England will serve Virat Kohli’s Team India another reminder — their batting hasn’t been good enough. James Anderson led the charge as India folded for a paltry 78 runs in the 1st innings. It was for the second time in the last 12 months that India produced a sub-100 total including 36 against Australia at Adelaide in December. Rohit Sharma’s 19 was the highest score as nine batsmen managed single-digit scores. But Rishabh Pant isn’t concerned about the team batting disaster. He believes this is a learning opportunity.
“It’s a part and parcel of the game. As a batting unit, you always want to give your 100% every day, every game but it doesn’t always go the same way. In the morning, the wicket was little on the softer side and they bowled in good areas. We could have applied ourselves much better. But you can only learn and move on from this as a cricketer. You learn from your mistake and improve next innings,” Rishabh Pant said at the post Day 1 press conference on Wednesday.
IND vs ENG 3rd Test: Rishabh Pant unperturbed with another sub-100 total in 12 months, says ‘We will learn from our mistakes and move on’
IND vs ENG 3rd Test: It was especially surprising as Virat Kohli opted to bat first on a surface that seemed like a batting heaven. But the first five wickets were all caught behind and the lack of patience and application came to the fore with India losing three wickets inside the first hour at Headingley.
Rohit Sharma and Ajinkya Rahane did their best to shoulder on but both paid for their own mistakes as India managed only 78. India’s middle-order again came short with Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane combined managed just 26 runs.
“I don’t think batting first was the wrong decision. We take the decision as a team. Yes, we could have applied ourselves much better. It does play in your mind (36 all out) a little bit but not much,” Rishabh Pant said.
IND vs ENG Live – Rishabh Pant Speaks Out: Rishabh Pant, often touted as a flamboyant batsman, who inflicts fear amongst bowlers with his nonchalant attitude, managed just 2. There was no rescue effort from him either as he has done in the last several matches. There was no batting heroics from Ravindra Jadeja, Mohammed Shami or Jasprit Bumrah as India scored only 22 runs to lose the remaining five wickets.
“As a cricketer, I don’t think in that manner. As a cricketer, you have to put your team first and then yourself. Sometimes when the top-order collapses, you get the opportunity to bat. If you do well in that situation and bail the team out, you are going to do wonders in life. As a cricketer, I see it this way. At the end of the day, everyone is thinking good for the team. If you are thinking in that fashion, you are going to take that on the chin,” Pant said.
IND vs ENG 3rd Test: However, Rishabh Pant admitted there was a lack of application on batsmen’s part. With the wicket playing in favour of the seamers a little bit early on, India had a horror show in batting. While defending the decision to bat first, Rishabh Pant said that the lack of application was clear but it was time to move on.
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“England took the heavy roller and the wicket was much more settled. When we were batting, the wicket was softer and they bowled in good areas. So, we will learn from our mistakes and move on,” Pant said.
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