ENG vs IND: Rishabh Pant Made Sure This Time He Finished On The Right Side - Wasim Jaffer

Former Indian cricketer Wasim Jaffer lavished praise on Rishabh Pant, stating that the 24-year-old has played match-winning knocks in series deciders more often than not but ensured he finished it this time around.

Pant had smashed a brilliant century and fifty in the fifth Test against England but India ended up on the losing side. In the deciding ODI against England on Sunday, he scored his maiden ODI century and took the team over the line in style.

“Rishabh Pant is in brilliant form and has already played some incredible knocks in his short career. For someone who’s just 24 years old, it’s outstanding how he comes up with series-changing knocks.”

“He’s played two outstanding knocks in this short tour of England. While the result didn’t go in India’s way in the Test match where he got a hundred, he made sure this time that he finished on the right side,” Jaffer told ESPNcricinfo.

“He took his time and showed his mature side” – Ashley Giles on Rishabh Pant

Giles asserted that India could have been on the losing side if not for the stunning 133-run partnership between Pant and Hardik Pandya. Pant initially played it slow and settled in before launching a stunning assault.

“India were under the pump in the 3rd ODI after their senior batters were gone early. It was a difficult situation and if there were a couple of more quick wickets at that stage, India could have lost the match by 100 runs.”

“But it was a brilliant partnership between Hardik Pandya and Rishabh Pant. For the much of it, Pant took the backseat. He took his time and showed his mature side. He was 100 off 106 balls and it shows that he plays with a lot of patience in the modern game. It was a coming-of-age innings,” Giles said.

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