Rishabh Pant can also bat like Pujara: Manjrekar impressed with batter’s adaptability-OxBig News Network

Former India cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar has said that Rishabh Pant can even bat like Cheteshwar Pujara. Pant is known for his aggressive strokeplay in Test cricket as he boasts a strike rate of 73.62 in the longest format.

However, contrary to popular belief, the star batter showed great resilience in the ongoing first Test against England as he curbed his instincts and played out crucial passages of play defensively. Pant’s adaptability earned him plaudits from Manjrekar, who hailed him for his ability to bat defensively.

ENG vs IND 1st Test Day 4 Updates

“Risabh Pant is a great cricketing mind, so he got obsessed with the strong wind and he was trying to play everything there. He wasn’t quite convincing in the way he did it, so he decided enough of it and after that he went the other extreme where it was all block, block, blocked with a straight bat and not one shot did he play in that fashion. So this is what you get with. This is a guy who can actually bat like a Pujara for an hour or two,” said Manjrekar on Jiohotstar.

Pant walked in to bat early on Day 4 as captain Shubman Gill was dismissed in just the second over of the day against Brydon Carse. After arriving at the crease, Pant began his innings in the usual fashion as he danced down the track against Chris Woakes on just the second delivery and got an outside edge which flew over slips for a boundary.

The southpaw went on to survive two more close chances as a top edge flew towards the fine leg boundary for a four and an inside edge on his pads helped him survive an lbw appeal. Following two close calls, Pant decided to go in his shell, as he was heard saying something to himself on the stump mic and went on to play the rest of the first session without taking any risks. He got involved in a crucial stand with KL Rahul as the duo took India’s lead past 150 by lunch.

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