India vs England 2021: Watch: Rishabh Pant Takes A Stupendous Blinder To Send Jack Leach Packing Off Ishant Sharma

The ongoing second Test match between India and England in Chennai can very well be an example of Rishabh Pant showing off his improved wicketkeeping skills. On a pitch that was difficult to keep on from day one, Rishabh Pant ended up with two brilliantly acrobatic catches, which incidentally came off fast bowlers.

England team just couldn’t handle the heat generated by Indian bowlers on the second day of the second Test match in Chennai. India had an upper hand on a landmine of a pitch at Chepauk, thanks to some amazingly skilled batting, which helped their bowlers keep the visiting team under pressure.

India managed 329 in their first innings with Rohit Sharma top-scoring with 161 runs, while Ajinkya Rahane made 67 and Rishabh Pant remaining unbeaten on 58 with 3 sixes and 7 fours to his name. England spinners Moeen Ali (4/128)  and Jack Leach (2/78) had given their batsmen a glimpse of what was to come.

However, for India, it was their fast bowlers as well, who did the initial damage and picked some set batsmen. Ishant Sharma began by trapping Rory Burns LBW for a duck in the first over of the England innings and then Mohammed Siraj had Olli Pope caught brilliantly down the leg-side by Rishabh Pant. This was an excellent take by a diving Pant, who kept the ball in check despite it popping out at one stage.

Rishabh Pant’s Brilliant One-Handed Take Gives Ishant Sharma His Second Wicket

However, the day was not over for the Indian wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, as he took another amazing catch, this time to get rid of Jack Leach. Ishant Sharma was getting the old ball to reverse swing and the England tailenders were trying to negotiate the movement both in the air and off the pitch.

Jack Leach has the highest Test score of 92, which came against Ireland at Lord’s, but as an opener. He had also famously hung around with Ben Stokes. However, it was not to be repeated as Ishant Sharma got Leach to edge on the ball and Rishabh Pant took a great catch, given that he was standing closer to stumps than normal, as the ball was not carrying to him.

Pant caught the ball in the web of his left glove while diving to send Leach back. England was shortly bowled out for 134 runs, giving India a huge lead of 195 runs.

Also Read: Watch: Rishabh Pant Takes A One-Handed Stunner To Dismiss Ollie Pope As Mohammed Siraj Claims His Test Wicket On Home Soil 

Here is the video of Pant’s one-handed blinder: