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'It's not even a matter of reputation': Butcher on Pant's blazing innings
Reacting on Rishabh Pant’s counter-attacking innings on Day 3 of India vs England first Test, former England cricketer Mark Butcher said Pant is a sort of player people pay to watch.
Till the time Rishabh Pant was out in the middle, it was looking as if it was a limited-overs fixture and not a Test match. It appeared that Pant didn't even know India have lost their top four inside a hundred and are chasing a mammoth total of 578. Such was the fearlessness of Pant, that he hit three sixes off left-arm spinner Jack Leach when England captain Joe Root had deployed a deep mid-wicket and long on.
Pant looked set for a hundred but a rush of blood ended his innings at 91. The India wicketkeeper had done a terrific job by choosing the right bowler and right line/length to go after before he decided to go aerial against off-spinner Dom Bess. The ball turned a bit and Pant could not control the shot and was holed out at deep cover.
Reacting on Pant’s counter-attacking innings, former England opener Mark Butcher said Pant is a sort of player people pay to watch.
“He’s the sort of a guy that you pay your money to come and watch. He empties bars as they say back at the UK because he only knows one way and that is to come out and attack. It doesn’t matter how many men you’ve got on the fence, he’ll take them on. If there’s rough outside the off-stump he’ll take that on too. It’s not even a matter of reputation. 600 wickets for Jimmy Anderson, he’ll have a go at him as well,” Butcher said on Star Sports after close of play.
The former England opener, however, questioned Pant’s decision to take so many risks when India were under a lot of pressure at 73 for four.
“But given that India were so far behind in the game, was it the right thing for him to do? Taking as many risks as he did. In the end, the partnership with Pujara is an excellent one but it hasn’t really dented England’s hopes because Rishabh Pant came in he burned brightly for a short while but now he’s now out of the game once again and England will be very pleased to see the back of him,” Butcher said.
England off-spinner Dom Bess ripped the heart out of their middle order to reduce them to 257-6 at the close on day three.
After England had posted a mammoth 578 in their first innings before pace bowler Jofra Archer removed both India openers to deny them a strong start to their reply.
Rishabh Pant and Cheteshwar Pujara forged the only century-plus partnership of the innings but India still finished the day 321 behind.
