"The Pantastic performances have always come under pressure" - Aakash Chopra lauds Rishabh Pant's back-to-the-wall efforts in Ind-Eng series
Aakash Chopra has lauded Rishabh Pant for delivering the goods with the bat whenever Team India were in trouble during the recently concluded multi-format series against England.
Pant started the tour by smashing a century in the Edgbaston Test, although his efforts couldn't help the visitors win the game. The wicketkeeper-batter did not have a great time in his first four white-ball games against England, but made up for it with a match-winning unbeaten 125-run knock in the final ODI.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra picked Pant as India's second-best performer in the series against England, only behind Hardik Pandya and just ahead of Jasprit Bumrah. He reasoned:
"At No. 2, actually I had to keep Boom Boom, but I have kept Pant, and I have kept Pant only because of the last century he hit, it just sealed the deal for him. The Pantastic performances have always come under pressure, he did that job in the Test match and the last ODI."
While acknowledging that Pant did not have a great time in the T20Is, Chopra pointed out that the youngster delivered whenever the Indian team were in a spot of bother. The former Indian opener said:
"When Team India are in great trouble, he finds a way to win it for India. He played very well in the Test match, there is no doubt about that. It was not good in T20s, let's be honest, only 27 runs in two innings, but he has been good."
Pant, who batted at the top of the order for the Men in Blue in the two T20Is he played against England, scored 26 runs off 15 runs in the first game. He managed just a solitary run in the second T20I as Rohit Sharma and Co. lost the match by 17 runs despite Suryakumar Yadav's enterprising century.
"He gave the team the chance to fight" - Aakash Chopra on Rishabh Pant's performances in the Edgbaston Test
Chopra feels India would have won the final Test against England if Pant had received more support from the other players. He elaborated:
"The 200 runs he scored alone at Edgbaston, he gave the team the chance to fight. If someone had given him slightly more support, Jaddu (Ravindra Jadeja) gave him once, India would have done better. No doubt they would have won the match."
Chopra concluded by reiterating that delivering the goods when the team needs him the most makes Pant special. The reputed commentator stated:
"He scored 125 runs in two innings if we talk about ODI cricket which includes an unbeaten 125, was dismissed for zero in one innings and did not get to bat in the first match, the strike rate is 106. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, he is Rishabh Pant. That's what makes him so so special."
Final? #TeamIndia in trouble? Call Rishabh Pant. 🇮🇳💯
Rishabh Pant was chosen as the 'Player of the Match' in the series-deciding final ODI against England. His unbeaten 125 was his maiden ton in ODI cricket and helped Team India register just their third series win in England in the 50-over format.