10 overs of Rishabh Pant on Day 5 might give India the advantage, reckons Michael Vaughan
Michael Vaughan believes that if Rishabh Pant manages to bat for more than 10 overs on Day 5, India might be in a winning position in the Lord’s Test.
India have a lead of 154 runs at the end of Day 4. Rishabh Pant is in at the crease along with Ishant Sharma and only three fast bowlers to follow.
Vaughan points out that India's current lead may not look daunting, but you never know what to expect when Pant is at the crease.
“India might get 20 more, or 50 more or a 100 more. You never know with Rishabh Pant. 154, it doesn’t sound a great deal. You look at the scenario tomorrow, 10 overs of Rishabh Pant, he will score quickly. And that lead will go to 180, to 200,” Michael Vaughan said on BBC’s Test Match Special podcast.
The overs that India bat on Day 5 will also be crucial in the context of the game. The more overs that India bat, the less will England have to chase down the target.
“If India bat 15 overs, then that gives England around 72 overs to chase, maybe 200, 210. Then they are going to have to score at 3 an over. 181 runs have been scored today. The kind of pitch that it is not going to be easy to go flaying the ball to all parts,” Michael Vaughan added.
Michael Vaughan believes Ravindra Jadeja will be a threat against the right-handers on the final day
Michael Vaughan points out that there is enough turn on the track to threaten the batters. He believes Ravindra Jadeja will be potent against the English right-handers.
“And you have got Jadeja. Jadeja, to all those England right-handers, he is going to be a real threat on this kind of a wicket.”
Pointing to Cheteshwar Pujara's dismissal on Day 4, Michael Vaughan explained that there is enough uneven bounce off the track to encourage the Indian seamers as well.
"Whatever they (England) happen to chase, it’s not going to be easy. With the Indian seam bowling attack, with the likes of Shami and Bumrah, Siraj bowling from the pavilion end where we have seen a bit of uneven bounce. The ball that got Pujara, bounce off a length. It was a wonderful piece of bowling but it was the pitch, just reared up at him," Michael Vaughan signed off.
England will be hoping to clean up the remaining four wickets of India with the new ball early on Day 5 before they add more to their overnight tally.