Ex-Pakistan skipper compares Rishabh Pant’s batting skills with Brian Lara

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Rishabh Pant played a crucial knock of 146 in the fifth Test against England to get India out of the crucial situation

Rishabh Pant played a knock of 146 off 111 balls during India’s first innings in the rescheduled fifth Test against England at Edgbaston.

After being asked to bat first against England in the fifth rescheduled Test at Edgbaston in Birmingham, India found themselves in deep trouble while reeling at 98/5 when Rishabh Pant and Ravindra Jadeja stitched a partnership of 222 runs for the sixth wicket to put the Indian innings back on the track.

Pant played a marvelous knock of 146 off just 111 balls while his fellow scored 104 runs alongside. The duo turned the tables for India as they posted a total of 416 runs on the board before getting bundled out.

The wicketkeeper-batter raced towards his century in just 89 balls before scoring another 46 runs off just 22 balls. His powerful innings were followed by 20 boundaries and four maximums with a strike rate of 131.53.

His knock gained him a lot of appraise from the cricket gurus and the former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif went a little further to call him “the Brian Lara of wicketkeepers.”

“He (Rishabh Pant) is the Brian Lara of wicketkeepers. This match is taking place in Birmingham, the same place where Brian Lara scored 501 for Warwickshire. You must have seen his (Lara’s) glimpses in Pant’s knock today (Friday). Pant has limited foot movement, but he can pick the ball early,”

Latif said on his official YouTube channel.

“He let the ball come to him. 2-3 shots that he played towards midwicket against fast bowlers were outstanding. England tried to put pressure with four slips and a gully, which meant there weren’t enough fielders outside. Pant never stopped whenever he got any chance (to score),”

said Latif.

About the match, India lost their first wicket in the second innings as Shubman Gill was dismissed in the first over by James Anderson.

India crossed the 150 mark lead with Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari batting at the crease.

Earlier, Mohammed Siraj took four wickets and the skipper Jasprit Bumrah picked up three wickets to bundle out England on 284, getting a lead of 132 runs in the first innings.

Jonny Bairstow scored a ton and lost his wicket to Mohammad Shami before Stuart Broad got dismissed by Mohammad Siraj. 

Bairstow had earlier taken England from a terrible situation of 83/5 alongside Ben Stokes. The due made a 66 runs stand before adding 92 runs partnership with Sam Billings for the seventh wicket.

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