VVS Laxman was all praises for the much-needed batting partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara and Rishabh Pant. India was under immense pressure when the two got together on a difficult pitch on day 3 of the Chennai Test. Rishabh Pant carried on where he left in the Brisbane Test and smashed England bowlers all around the ground.
Former Indian cricketer Laxman reckons that Pant’s attacking batting approach also allowed Pujara to bat freely. The usually circumspect Indian batsman played some marvellous shots against spin and accelerated the scoring rate alongside Rishabh Pant.
VVS Laxman hails Rishabh Pant
VVK Laxman then complimented Pant for his fearless batting and added that he shifted the momentum of the Indian innings. He added that Pant has now become a mature batsman who knows his strengths and weaknesses. Laxman also believes that Pant batted smartly and picked his bowlers to hit sixes in his outstanding knock of 91 runs.
“That’s the change which we saw in Rishabh Pant’s batting in the Brisbane innings where he played a match-winning knock. He has become more mature, he is aware of his shortcomings. He is also aware of the gameplan of the opposition bowlers. He knows which line to attack and which line to play defensively. Even though he got out on 91, that shot was a high percentage one. Even though the fielders are back, Pant backs his power, strength and ability to hit six because it was with the turn. If it was against the turn, he would be disappointed, we all will be disappointed”, Laxman said on the post-match show on Star Sports.
“One good thing with Rishabh Pant’s approach was that suddenly the momentum of the game changes. All the attacking fielders around the bat suddenly moved away from the catching positions and to the boundary line. Pujara also benefitted and he got a lot more loose deliveries. We have to back his approach and I am sure the team management is backing that approach. Now and then he can play a loose shot and get out but moreover I thought it was a mature innings with caution and aggression”, VVS Laxman concluded.
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Meanwhile, after the day’s play, Pujara also admitted that he likes batting against Rishabh Pant. The duo shared a memorable at SCG and Brisbane on the final day of both Test matches. Coming back to the Chennai Test match, India is bowled out for 337 runs in their first Test innings as Washington Sundar stayed unbeaten on 85.
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