India's opening batter, KL Rahul is in absolute awe of Rishabh Pant's freak batting on Day four of the first Test against England in Leeds. The southpaw scored 118 runs from just 140 balls and allowed the visitors to set a target of 371 runs in the fourth innings. It was a typical Pant innings, which oozed exuberance, fearlessness, and freak shots. While for some, the wicketkeeper-batter's aggressive instinct is not taken on the right spirit, Rahul defended the southpaw's attacking knock that saw him become the only Indian wicketkeeper-batter to have scored two centuries in one innings.
Pant's knock came on Day four of Leeds's surface, which was pretty difficult to bat as the odd balls kept low and bounced highly. Despite playing some scratchy shots at the beginning of the innings, the wicketkeeper-batter attacked and bought his 8th hundred in the 70th over of the innings.
Pant always copes with unfair criticism for his brash and aggressive batting in the red-ball format, but Rahul backed him and said that there is a clear method behind the 27-year-old's approach to batting in Tests.
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"It's hard for us to understand his mindset, but you let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant. There is obviously a method to his madness, as he averaging 45 in Tests. There is a lot of thinking about the outrageous shots he plays. You just try to calm him down as much as possible between balls," Rahul told reporters after the end of the day's play.
KL Rahul expects a blockbuster finish on Day five of the Leeds Test
Rahul, who also scored a classy ton and shared a mammoth partnership with Rishabh Pant is excited for the challenge that lies ahead for his team on Day five of the Leeds Test. England, who are known to hunt any target down in the fourth innings, needs 350 runs on the last day with ten wickets in hand. The opening batter expects a blockbuster finish as both teams will be eager to take a 1-0 lead in the five-match Test series.
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"It's a blockbuster finish waiting tomorrow. At this stage of cricket, I am at, I'm a lot more calm in my head and not chasing numbers. Someone's got to win tomorrow, it will be an interesting day," he said.
