Former England Captain Michael Vaughan Praises Rishabh Pant's Explosive Performance in Test
Even though India had to face a defeat in the first Test against England, wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant completely stole the spotlight with his explosive batting. In the match played at Headingley in Leeds, Pant smashed centuries in both innings, setting several records along the way. He became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a hundred in each innings of a Test match. Not just that, he now also holds the record for the most Test centuries by an Indian wicketkeeper.
Michael Vaughan heaps praise on Pant
Former England captain Michael Vaughan was all praise for Pant’s fearless batting. Vaughan revealed that even England skipper Ben Stokes couldn’t help but admire Pant’s knock. He said, “There’s madness and passion in the way Rishabh Pant bats, but it’s backed by proper planning. While Pant was batting, Ben Stokes himself was enjoying watching him.”
Compared to Gilchrist and Dhoni
Michael Vaughan went a step ahead and compared Pant with Australia’s legendary wicketkeeper-batter Adam Gilchrist and India’s iconic captain MS Dhoni. Vaughan said, “For me, Adam Gilchrist has been the greatest wicketkeeper-batter till now. But the way Pant has performed in Test cricket, he has set a completely new benchmark. MS Dhoni was outstanding in limited-overs cricket, but looking at Pant’s batting, anyone would say he is made for T20s or ODIs. Yet, his Test record is far superior to even his white-ball numbers.”
India under pressure after defeat
Despite Pant’s two brilliant centuries, India lost the Test match. England chased down the target of 371 runs comfortably with five wickets in hand. After this defeat, there’s now extra pressure on captain Shubman Gill to bring India back into the series. If India loses the next match at Edgbaston, England will take home the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy.
Pant’s mindset and confidence appreciated
Pant’s innings showed how he can shoulder responsibility when the team needs it the most. He not only scored runs but steadied the innings at a time when other batters were getting out quickly. With his aggressive strokes, Pant put England’s bowlers under pressure, and for a while, even their fielders looked unsettled.
All eyes on the next Test
Rishabh Pant has once again proved that he’s a true game-changer for India in Test cricket too. Now all eyes are on the next match at Edgbaston, where fans will hope for another impactful knock from him. If Pant plays a similar innings there, India could very well make a strong comeback in the series.
In this way, Pant has once again shown why he is such a trusted player for Team India. As long as he is at the crease, there’s always hope for India to pull off a win. It will be interesting to see what magic he brings to the field in the next big challenge.