Rishabh Pant Treated James Anderson As If He Was A Spinner, Says Sunil Gavaskar

India batting legend Sunil Gavaskar was awestruck by keeper-batsman Rishabh Pant’s batting display on day two of the ongoing fourth Test between India and England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad. Rishabh Pant scored an exciting 101 and helped India gain a lead over England.

India had resumed on day 1 at 24/1 but lost quick wickets with the likes of Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, and Rohit Sharma going back into the pavilion at regular intervals. When Ravichandran Ashwin fell with the score on 146/6, England was licking their lips at a possibility of a lead despite their first innings total of 205.

However, Rishabh Pant found an able ally in Washington Sundar as the duo added 113 runs for the seventh wicket. Pant smacked the England bowlers all over the place, hitting 13 boundaries and 2 sixes in his innings, reaching his century with a six off Joe Root.

Rishabh Pant Recognized England Were Restricted To Just 3 Bowlers Including Joe Root: Sunil Gavaskar

Rishabh Pant was brutal in his treatment of all England bowlers, who even took off Dom Bess after an unimpressive spell of bowling against Sundar and Pant. The visitors had already shot themselves in the foot by going into the match with just four bowlers, out of which James Anderson was the lone specialist fast bowler.

“He took the attack by the scruff of the neck but before that he was actually accessing everything out, what the pitch is doing, what the bowlers are doing. He recognized the fact that England were handicapped by the fact that they didn’t have too much confidence in their off-spinner Dom Bess. They were restricted to only 3 bowlers plus Joe Root and therefore, he took his time,” said Gavaskar.

Rishabh Pant Treated James Anderson As A Spinner Despite Him Taking The Second New Ball: Sunil Gavaskar

Pant went after James Anderson, who had completed 900 international wickets in the same innings, got the second new ball in the hand. Pant stepped out to hit him for a boundary and, in Anderson’s next over, reverse-flicked England’s main seamer get to his 90s. Gavaskar was particularly impressed to see how Pant played Anderson in the final session.

“And as he approached his hundred, and as the second new ball came he treated Anderson as if he was a spinner. A reverse-sweep against him, incredible batting. It was so good to see that he didn’t miss out on a hundred this time.

He was dejected after that because he was really looking to take the England attack to the cleaners, didn’t happen but till then… the partnership between him and Washington Sundar has taken India to safety,” Gavaskar said.

Also Read: Something has Been Wrong With Ajinkya Rahane’s Batting For A Long Time Now: Sanjay Manjrekar