England’s spin-bowling coach Jeetan Patel on Friday doffed his hat to young wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant for taking the game away with his aggressive batting display on the second day of the fourth Test.
“When players are allowed to play as well as they are and showcase the skills that they can ... Rishabh Pant is in this side to do what he does, like he did today, take games away from the opposition,” Patel said at the virtual post-day press conference.
“He did it so well today, you know, he struck out of the middle, big applause to him.”
Pant found an able partner in Washington Sundar (60 not out) as the two forged 113 runs for the seventh wicket to pull India out of trouble after it suffered a collapse.
“... He (Pant) certainly came out after that tea break and took it to us. He was in a totally aggressive role and I think it obviously paid off for them getting a hundred,” Patel said.
“But the important part of him was the partnership that they created with Washington Sundar and for them to bat almost all the session without losing a wicket, hats have to go off (on) how they played there.”