India were in a precarious position at 80/4 when Rishabh Pant went to bat at the fall of Rahane’s wicket and the wicket playing tricks, India needed someone to take the attack to the opposition.
A score of 205 by England in the first innings looked like 300 with all their bowlers barring Dom Bess bowling tight lines and when Rohit Sharma got out at the score of 121, India were still 84 behind and England were favorites for a first innings lead.
Pant first tried the English bowlers with Washington Sundar giving him able support and when James Anderson and Ben Stokes ran out of gas, Pant just tore apart the English bowling with shots, which took the breath away, especially the reverse off Anderson, when he was on 89.
What that shot showed was that Pant was playing for the team and not worried that he would miss his hundred. In the series against Australia too, he played two significant knocks first at Sydney to save the Test and the series defining innings at Gabba which will be remembered by many as the innings of the decade.
I had seen in the early 90s, how Adam Gilchrist who played many such innings for Australia coming in at No. 7 and taking the game away from the opposition and was wondering when will India find someone like Gilchrist who played fearless and attacking Cricket.
Today’s knock of 101 played by Pant in a high-pressure situation where he just took the game away from England has made my belief more strong that Pant is that player who would be India's Gilchrist whose sight bowlers fear.
