Rishabh's splendid century puts England under the pump

At stumps India were 294 for 7 with Washington and Axar Patel on the crease

Update: 2021-03-05 19:32 GMT
India's Rishabh Pant celebrates his century against England during the second day of the fourth Test at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday. PTI

Ahmedabad: Rishabh Pant changed his game-plan and in turn India’s fortunes with a magnificent century, helping the side snatch control from England’s grip to finish the second day at a robust 294 for 7 in the final Test here on Friday.

England dominated the first two sessions and India looked in all sorts of trouble before Pant (101 off 118 balls) suddenly decided to catch the opposition by the scruff of their necks, effortlessly changing gears in company of Washington Sundar (60, 117 balls, 8x4).

The duo added 113 runs in 26 overs but more importantly, landed an exquisite ‘left-hook’ on England’s hopes of turning party-poopers, having already conceded a first innings lead of 89 runs.

At stumps, Washington was still at the crease with Axar Patel (11).
For someone, who has always been panned for his lack of game awareness, it was Pant 2.0 at play where he defended when it was necessary but unlocked his brutal attacking instincts when required.

The first 50 came off 82 balls and the next off 33 balls with Washington being the ideal foil, holding one end well en route to his third half century in Test cricket.
Just like playing a single spinner in the third Test was a blunder, England paid the price for playing a bowler short as their main four got tired during the final session.

In Virender Sehwag style, Pant deposited Dom Bess into the ‘cow corner’ of the stands against the turn, to complete his third Test hundred, first at home, having missed at least five in recent years.

When he finally got out, Root’s frustrated expression was a dead giveaway that the match was now out of hand for England, having conceded as many as 141 runs in a single session.

Pant had hit 13 fours and two sixes during an innings which, in all likelihood, will earn him the ‘Man of the Match’ award.

Ben Stokes (22-6-73-2) troubled the Indians with reared up deliveries, one of those got skipper Virat Kohli (0), but there was no trouble for Pant, who would gleefully pull the England all-rounder.

The audacity with which he came down the track against Anderson (20-11-40-3), depositing him over extra cover for a boundary, could have taken anyone’s breath away.

It was one fascinating day of Test cricket where flamboyant players like Rohit Sharma (49 off 144 balls) and Pant traded their natural attacking instincts for a more conservative approach.

Earlier, Cheteshwar Pujara (17 off 66 balls) and Kohli’s (0 off 8 balls) dismissals brought England back in the game. Ajinkya Rahane (27) hit a flurry of boundaries to get the scoreboard moving but Anderson had him caught at second slip.    

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