Rishabh Pant is easily India’s top Test wicketkeeper-batter: Sanjay Manjrekar

On the second day of the ongoing Headingley Test, India’s wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant poked fun of the English bowlers. Rishabh Pant natural game approach allowed him to take the offensive and play the aggressor in his outstanding partnership with skipper Shubman Gill (147). He surpassed the famous MS Dhoni’s six-wicket total with his 134 in the opening innings of the first Test, making it his eighth century in the format and the highest of any Indian wicketkeeper-batter.

After Rishabh Pant thrilling performance in Leeds, when he hit 12 fours and six maximums to help India reach a massive 471 in the first innings, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar was full of admiration for the player. In a career that has lasted less than seven years, Pant is currently the best wicketkeeper-batter India has ever had in red-ball cricket, according to Manjrekar.

The best Test batsman India has ever had, hands down. When he was in his 90s, I was concerned that he might receive his eighth 90 of his career. The fact that he has so many 90s is simply astounding! He’s a welcome change, though. Many English supporters jumped up and cheered that innings when he got out and hoisted his bat. These men travel to England to watch quality cricket, which is what we adore about the country. They clearly want their side to win, but you can sense genuine gratitude for the opposition’s greatness,” he said on JioHotstar.

Rishabh Pant box office performance was quite impressive: Stuart Broad

Manjrekar was also praised by veteran England bowler Stuart Broad, who said that the crowd is amused by the Southpaw’s strange and unconventional strokes. He went on to say that the English supporters at Headingley gave Rishabh Pant one of the loudest welcomes he has ever witnessed for an opposition player visiting the stadium to play.

“England fans are always so great at honouring and celebrating outstanding innings, but that reception Pant received was among the biggest I’ve ever heard in England for an opposing player reaching 100. Because it was so hilarious, it was greatly appreciated. We had no idea what was going to happen! Everything was happening, including run-out opportunities, full-blooded shoots, and those falling scoops. Patience, leaving, a flare shot, and applying pressure to the bowlers are all things a Test match fan could desire. Everything Rishabh Pant did was greatly praised by the audience. “It was definitely a box office innings,” the renowned bowler remarked.

On the second day in Leeds, England had the chance to bat for nearly two sessions, while India scored 471 in the first innings. After Zak Crawley (4 off 6) left early, Ben Duckett (62 off 94) and Ollie Pope (100*) formed a strong combination for the second wicket, giving the English batsmen a strong start. Following the dismissal of Duckett and Crawley by Jasprit Bumrah, star batsman Joe Root entered the game with the intention of delivering a solid blow. But as the board read 209 for 3, Stumps were called, and Bumrah’s resistance saved India once more.