India wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant ruled the roost on Day 1 of the ongoing fifth Test against England at Edgbaston in Birmingham on Friday. With India 98 for five at one stage following a top-order collapse, Pant led India’s revival on the opening day, alongside all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja. The 24-year-old scored a 89-ball century to lead India’s charge, before eventually getting out on 146. While Pant hit 19 boundaries and four sixes, he also rotated the strike sensibly during his 222-run stand with Jadeja.
While analysing the match, former India fielding coach R Sridhar was all praise for Pant.
Sridhar also revealed how former head coach Ravi Shastri‘s advice has helped Pant earlier on in his Test career.
“When Rishabh Pant needed a rap on his knuckles early in his career…he was getting out in Test cricket after getting 30-40s. I remember Ravi (Shastri) went and spoke to him ‘look you can do all is fine but you need to be a little patient here. There are six fielders out on the boundary line, why do you need to clear them. Just take singles and let them come up’,” Sridhar said in a discussion on Sony Sports Network.
After Pant’s dismissal, Jadeja also reached triple figures, before losing his wicket to Joe Root on Day 2.
Stand-in skipper Jasprit Bumrah launched a counter-attack, smashing 29 off Stuart Broad‘s over, which yielded 35 runs in total — the most by a bowler in an over in Test cricket.
Bumrah remained unbeaten on 31 as India went on to post a total of 416 in the first innings.
For England, James Anderson bagged his 32 five-for, while Matthew Potts also took two wickets.
In reply, England were 60 for three before rain forced early Tea on Day 2.
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Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow were batting unbeaten on 19 and six, respectively.
Bumrah took all three wickets, dismissing Alex Lees, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope.
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