'He does increase heart rates sometimes with his shots but we are used to it': Rahul Dravid gushes about Rishabh Pant
Rishabh Pant scored a century and half century in the fifth Test against England.
Rishabh Pant continued to show that he is a special player in Test cricket with a century and half century in India's Covid-delayed fifth match against England at Edgbaston. Pant scored 146 off 111 balls in an innings that brought India back into the match after losing their top order and then scored 57 in their second innings.
Pant raced to his century after crossing 50 in the Indian first innings and his knock included many of the inventive shots that have become a trademark of his. India head coach Rahul Dravid said that the wicketkeeper-batter is also showed a lot of maturity in the innings along with the inventiveness.
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“Pant's century in Cape Town was also quite brilliant,” Dravid said in the post-match press conference on Tuesday, referring to the century scored during India's tour of South Africa earlier this year.
“He is doing really well in Test cricket. He keeps increasing everyone's heart rates time and again with some of his shots but we are now used to do that,” Dravid joked. The former India captain said that the team has come to accept Pant's aggressive style of play.
“We accept that he may play some shots at time that we think he maybe shouldn't play. I think we need to accept that a little because the way he plays, he can turn a Test around and he did that in this match and in South Africa. We can also see that he is thoughtful and does not take a wild swing at every ball. He waits for the ball and plays on his strengths. He backs himself when he sees the right bowler and that has been our message to him,” he said.
Dravid was also all praise for England, who chased down a target of 378 with seven wickets to spare on Tuesday to level the series. The in-form duo of Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow put up an unbeaten stand of 269 runs for the fourth wicket to take the hosts to victory.
“I would definitely say that the kind of cricket they have been playing in the last few months has been really good. They have been really good at chasing. That chasing is not easy in fourth innings in England. Whatever brand of cricket one wants to play, it depends a lot of the players and the kind of form they are in presently. When the players are in good form, your obviously play a more positive game,” said Dravid.